Legend of the Strongest
by Kyle Castorena
Summary: Cirno is sick, and Gensokyo is gradually erupting into chaos. Are these two unrelated, or does the ice fairy somehow hold the key to this oncoming disaster. Follow Daiyousei and the residents of the mythical land as they search for answers. *While the story revolves around Cirno, she rarely makes an appearance. This is told through the eyes of everyone around her.*
1. Prolog

Panting heavily, down to a kneel, one hand clenching the wound to her stomach and the other on the sparking, crackling, blood red spear; the petite girl watches the ground as the sweat drips from her chin and hits the rocky surface below in a "pat pat pat." Steam rises from her breath and the girl laughs. Such a sad state to which she has been reduced. To her, a vampire, in her over 500 years of life she doesn't remember a single time when she sweat. Likewise, as she is technically undead, that her breath could produce steam was also incredible. If asked to which a devil like her would prefer, the hot or cold, without question she would respond with "the cold." Now she was not so sure.

A scream of rage and a colossal crash demand her attention return to which it should have remained all along; the contest of might in which she is currently involved.

With great effort the small yet old vampire pushes herself to her feet and gazes skyward, only to be met with a small crystalline shard grazing her cheek and spilling a small trickle of blood. Redoubling the grip on her spear, this tiny warrior regards this new injury with only small notice. Already is her body and attire in tatters. Cuts and scratches are abound, but even those in accumulation pale in comparison to the solid blow she received in her stomach. In the days of the distant past she was given the nickname "The Scarlet Devil" because the blood of her victims would stain her clothes. Long ago were the days of her rampages, but here she is again "The Scarlet Devil." Only this time it's her blood doing the staining.

Above another contestant is fighting her foe. In this land such fierce battles are not uncommon. This girl who is currently grounded was the aggressor, but she did not come alone. If there was an honor in the accepted flow of battle it isn't present today. Two-on-one would have been considered cowardly, but appearances mattered not to the vampire. Contrast to every ethical and proper code of conduct in which she believed, this fight she started with as unfair an advantage she could have achieved. In the the sky now her sibling is deep in the fray.

Also a vampire, this one is known as the "Sister of Scarlet." Always striking her as somewhat odd, perhaps this name was given simply because so little of her is known by outsiders. Reclusive in nature this younger sister spends the vast majority of her time playing alone in their basement. With as intimidating as their home already is, "The Scarlet Devil Mansion," perhaps only a rare few would be brave, or stupid, enough to venture into the subterranean levels. To some it might appear as though this sister was locked away, but that simply wasn't the case. Because of her condition the sister chose to seclude herself from contact. Almost completely hermit in her ways, she only has contact with a very small handful of people in her day to day life. Generally the sister met with one another on rare occasion. This night turned out to be very different.

The Scarlet Devil could think of only one occasion where the two of them fought together. Before moving to this mystical land of Gensokyo, constantly were they on assault by the forces of the church, otherwise known as "Exorcists" and "Vampire Hunters." As fanatical to their religious doctrine as they were to their prey, despite the overwhelming difference between human and vampire they were a most dangerous enemy. After their parents were slain, what only saved The Scarlet Devil was her younger sister's intervention. Despite being driven so far back into a corner, the Sister of Scarlet completely overturned the tide in a matter of moments. Such a being with so much monstrous strength was an inherent hazard to all whom shared her presence. So the miserable child chose to share as little presence with others as possible.

Now the two of them fight together once more, but they are losing.

Nimbly the sister avoids the ridiculously oversized projectile hurled her way, and she counters by throwing twin gears with four protruding blades of light. Both hit their target at least once, effectively dicing the victim into several pieces. However, that was the thing; the opponent in question did nothing to avoid what normally would have been oncoming doom. Static in it's behavior the opponent hasn't moved a single step this entire battle. Instead it simply stayed there, suspended in air, eyes closed and lightly breathing as if asleep. Those parts that were dissected from the main core simply regrow; the dismembered limbs dissipating in a haze.

A battle like this had occurred once before. In one of those rare instances where the devil mistress leaves her mansion, with the accompaniment of the head maid, they sought to dispatch an immortal. Such a dirty battle that turned out to be, but in the end the immortals (times two) were defeated. Though life-everlasting, their bodies weren't particularly different than mortal beings. Submission through pain was the only way to emerge victorious. This opponent is different, however. It disregards limbs as if they were fingernail clippings. What made matters worse, it's attacks sprang forth from an almost subconscious will. Did this being even know it was battling for it's own life?

"Arrrrrgggggg!" the sister roars at the ineffectiveness of her hit.

As is the case most of the time when the sister is thrown into battle, she is in a rage. However, battling for her is something that's supposed to be fun. Because of her overwhelming power it's become a game where the only thing that can excite her is the level of difficulty. The stronger the opponent the more fun she has. In this present case it's anything but. For the first time in her 500 year life she's on the receiving end of an unfair opponent. Instead of someone of unlimited strength, she faces against an unfettered defense which doesn't even flinch in the face of mortal blows. No matter what she fires at this unwavering opponent, the attacks don't diminish nor relent. This is not fun.

The Scarlet Devil wishes to join in the assault, but her injuries hold her at bay. The situation is bad. Had she'd known their pairing would have been this ineffective she'd never have dragged with her her kin. At the very worst she believed the only sacrifice would be herself, but at this rate she will drag her sister with her to the grave.

Before embarking on this battle she'd known the danger she faced, but not to what extent. A secret for which she's known for a very long time, a cruel and unforgiving fate which may not have been avoidable. Though a vampire, she possesses a very unique power. Vaguely do even her closest confidants know of the true nature of "Manipulation of Fate." In simple terms she can see the future, but there is so much more to it than that. For those who couldn't understand, the spear in her left hand should have been clue enough.

Gungnir was the signature weapon of the All-Father Odin in Norse Mythology. Though the weapon alone was impressive, what truly gave Odin his Godhood was his power of a seer. By sacrificing one of his eyes he was allowed to see all past, present, and future. Born with similar ability, the Scarlet Devil can peer beyond her sight and come to know of many things. However, without being gained through sacrifice this ability is limited in the small vampire. Her knowledge of hereafter events is incomplete, thought that isn't to say she can't change the future. Many of times she has successfully done so in the past, allowing her to ultimately escape the clutches of the church. Also had it allowed her to see through the illusion of the Lunatic Moon Rabbit. However, even a one such as Odin faced a fate to which he couldn't escape at the time of Ragnarok. So too does this Scarlet Devil. The inclusion of her sister in this fighting force was her hope, but such measures were painfully wasteful.

Facing a projectile too large and too fast for her to avoid, the Sister of Scarlet smashes though it with her bare hands, a feat impossible to anyone but her. Unfortunately it doesn't break clean and she is pelted by countless lesser shards. Though far from critical neither are they negligible. Actually, this seems different than normal physical damage. Those shards of crystalline mass don't damage or cut, but stick, each encasing but a small portion of her body. However, the effect is immediate as she cannot safely avoid the next barrage of smaller blasts. Not only have the masses increased her weight, but also dulls her limbs. She's slowing. The end is approaching.

Unfortunate for the sister, she realizes her compromised mobility too late. Something that should have been easily avoided pierces her shoulder. Unprepared for the hit she loses concentration and begins to fall to the earth. Plummeting suddenly has granted her a bit of luck as she somehow avoids the rest of the missiles in her decent. Regaining herself before crashing into the ground, the sibling vampire grabs the instrument still embedded in her shoulder. It shatters nearly effortlessly.

Summoning her weapon, an odd shaped device materializes in her hands. To describe it would be to say it appeared as two ends of a tail. However odd and unimposing, the colossal pillar of flame which sprang from it's tip gave testament to it's power. Swinging it in a clumsy arc, the sister throws a soaring wave of fire that dispels the newly assembled oncoming shards. In it's wake she charges, closing the distance between the two.

At the moment she stands before her opponent the Sister of Scarlet grabs her opponent's eye. Not the eye that exists in one's skull, but the Eye of Existence. Visible only to the her, the Eye of Existence is the central element of any physical or conceptual entity. Destroy this and you destroy it's self. Countless times has the sister used this to destroy just about whatever she wanted. Toys, people, magic. No matter what's eye she grasped, never did it fail to break.

The sister brakes her opponent.

Beginning at the being's central core, a crack emerges and quickly spreads through it's frame. By the time it reaches it's outer ends it shatters, leaving the sister all to herself. Her opponent is now a sprinkling glitter drifting in the air, completely obliterated.

At first the vampire is unsure of her victory, as if she expected this predetermined rule to not apply. Once she is sure she's the only one to remain standing, a laugh escapes her lips. Quickly it's followed by more. Scared madness fades in favor of hysterical madness, as if the fear and uncertainly she before felt never existed. Again it was fun.

Blood rushes through her throat and spills from her mouth when a crystalline spike pierces her chest. The opponent is once again before the vampire, completely unharmed and again in it's state of sleep. As if it smelt the scent of blood, a cavalcade of spikes descend upon her. The sister is pierced through her neck, stomach, and arms and legs. Helpless since the initial impact, the Sister of Scarlet simply watches in amazement as her body is destroyed. At the point defeat is certain does the onslaught cease.

Her mortality drawing to a close, the defiled vampire stares at her vanquisher with fading sight. A mad grin escapes her lips as if she's somehow delighted at her defeat. The power to remain in float vanishes, and she falls to the ground. Uncontrolled and motionless, the once great being of destruction hits the ground with a dull thud. This is her end.

Forced to watch with full knowledge of the outcome, the Scarlet Devil silently morns the loss of her sister. If there was anything that could have changed this outcome she would do it. If her presence in those final moments would have made a difference she would have leapt in no matter the injury. Far before the moment of her incapacitation was this moment decided. At the time she asked for help was this fate sealed. This fate of destruction was unavoidable. Now it's her turn.

But no attacks come. The opponent does not turn it's attention to the sidelined combatant but instead simply rests. Could it have perceived that the Scarlet Devil is no longer a threat, or did it simply forget about the initiator of this combat? If she so wished the vampire could turn away and survive, but could she live with herself after that? Abandoning her sister to this invulnerable juggernaut was not something that could simply be forgiven, but was it necessary for her too to throw her life away?

No, nothing was in vain. While her own fate might be cruel, a much larger one was at stake. What the Scarlet Devil saw beyond her own destiny was the destiny of the world. If left unchecked, this creature who just ended her sister would bring ruin upon all those of this world, not simply Gensokyo. Her very demise would inspire those who are yet to be involved; a rallying call to the true direness of this threat. While this creature might be asleep, once awakened this planet Earth may face a mass extinction unlike any it's known before. All life shall be slaughtered, and only the actions taken after this night can change this apocalyptic outcome. This shall not be the end, but the beginning.

Sunlight peeks over the horizon announcing the first signs of day. Ultraviolet rays peck at her skin causing slight irritation. In about half an hour it could cause burns. Such are the weaknesses of being a vampire. If this battle continued that far, they'd have no choice but to flee. For seven hours the Scarlet siblings fought in an attempt to take advantage of the night, and if they'd survived just a bit longer they'd both be going home. But such an opportunity has passed.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this sister," the Scarlet Devil speaks to the departed. With pathetic strength she beats her bat-like wings and takes flight. "I won't leave you alone ever again!"


	2. Act 1 In Search of Aid

Act 1

In Search of Aid

Several days earlier

How many days have passed same as this? After being awakened by either the rising sun or the morning greetings of the birds, after washing herself and getting dressed, this particular fairy leaves the safety of her hollow tree home and makes for the lake's shore. She beats her golden wings with caution, for in Gensokyo one should never truly lay down their guard. Though danger increases exponentially at night, even in the morning when the most deadly of predators sleep, one never knows what they may encounter. Of the normal hazards this particular fairy shouldn't need to worry, even at night, but she would rather always err on the side of caution.

Strands of her green hair tickle into her eyes. Brushing her entire side-ponytail away, something peculiar arises out of the corner of her vision. Two beings locked into chase. A sinking feeling fills her stomach. Something not normal has invaded this normal day. The mere fairy chooses to investigate.

While keeping herself hidden (a skill second-nature to fairies) she approaches and surveys the scene. A creature of dark gray fur and four legs is chasing one who normally could fly. Another fairy has somehow lost the ability of flight and is running for her life. This won't last long.

A sad truth of Gensokyo; only the strong survive. What's here is a creature hunting for it's breakfast meal. From the advantage of the still-concealed fairy, it looks as if the predator is a dire wolf. Had the fairy still the gift of flight, not only could this situation have been avoided, but also the wolf bested in combat. As it stands now the earthbound fairy is too frightened to put up a fight, which could only result in her being eaten. A sad truth it was.

But it was also the truth that this encounter has drawn the attention of a third party. _What would _she _do?_ the fairy thought. The answer was simple and obvious, and taking her friend as an example, she takes flight.

In her hands materializes throwing dagger of pure magical energy, one green and one red. At this distance it might be tricky shooting something at full-strength without harming her species-kin, so a somewhat brazen tactic was necessary. Certainly would these be the actions of her friend.

Throwing the knives in between the hunter and game, the pursuit is halted in light of this intruder. Using this opportunity of confusion the green-haired fairy zooms to the spot where her knives pierced the ground, making herself a barrier from the wolf and the fleeing fairy.

"Stop right there!" she declares while pointing a finger at the wolf. "You shall not harm any of my sisters!" The fairy thought her impression of her friend was spot-on.

"Elder Daiyousei?" the fleeing fairy shouts in surprise.

Not to take her opponent lightly, Daiyousei doesn't respond and instead keeps her focus on the wolf. Something seems off.

Recognizing this intruder as a threat, the wolf backs up than stands on two feet, howling at the intruder in a primal rage.

This wasn't a dire wolf, but a werewolf! But that should have been impossible! Werewolves are inactive during the day. Sunlight should either make them retreat or convert them back to their human forms. Now that the fairy thought about it, last night was a full moon, the time where their kind are at their strongest. Could some of the energy from the full moon still be lingering, powering this creature even during the day?

Dashing at her opponent, the werewolf gives the fairy no time to contemplate. As far as he's concerned he's just found a new meal. On two legs these kind sacrifice power for speed, something that's generally ill-advised in Gensokyo. Daiyousei beats her wings and launches herself into the air, easily avoiding the wide claw-strike that was coming her way.

Not losing a moment of his momentum, the werewolf leaps from his feet and hurls himself into a tree. A tradeoff of losing speed, on two-legs they have the ability to jump. This made them an uncommon threat to any who dwell in the sky. Rebounding after impact, the next target of his leaps is the fairy who decided to involve herself in his meal.

Narrowly does Daiyousei dodge the next attack, but some of the cloth is torn from her blue dress. This was far more dangerous than the fairy originally estimated. Had this been the middle of the night she likely would have been cut in half by that attack. On the night of a full moon a werewolf's strength and speed can rival some of the strongest in Gensokyo. Against such an opponent she was no match, but as this is the day this creature is at it's weakest. The fairy should have a chance.

Bouncing off another tree, the wolf doesn't attack directly this time. Magic orbs drip from his hands and slowly track his opponent. This level of attack is honestly pathetic, but this display of magic from a physically-attributed monster is impressive. During the night his threat must make him truly fearful, though that is not the case during the day.

Avoiding with ease Daiyousei looks to make a counter attack, but suddenly she cannot find the wolf. Somehow while she was distracted with the slow attack he'd made himself invisible. With slight panic the fairy scans the surrounding trees to try and discover the whereabouts of her opponent.

Something catches her attention to her rear. Quickly she turns to see another slow-moving orb. With an almost uncaring speed she avoids and throws dozens of green and red knives from whence it came. Nothing responds from her attack.

Suddenly a new orb is now very close. Too close for comfort Daiyousei now worries because it got so near without her attention. Not a problem is it to avoid, but now the fairy is clearly understanding the wolf's tactics. Attacking from blind spots, the wolf shoots a slow attack and moves to another location. By the time the fairy realizes something is heading her way, he's already in another spot. This is bad. Even though he's weakened by the time of day this wolf's enacting a plan to counter this weakness.

Daiyousei quits trying to track his attacks and begins scanning random directions. A few more orbs had already been fired. They would take a few moments to reach her, so she frantically looks to other directions. She finds nothing.

After avoiding the first wave, she sees more had been fired but still no signs of the wolf. Sweat dripping from her brow clearly display how cornered she feels at this moment.

"From below!" a familiar voice shouts.

Knowing better than to actually look down, Daiyousei quickly moves to avoid this unseen threat. No sooner then she does a flash whirls passed her body, ripping more of her dress. If not for the warning, the wolf would have had it's meal.

Daiyousei doesn't smile at her sudden fortune, but acts with desperate intent. To attack from below, the wolf had to jump straight up. Since there is nothing above for him to rebound, he must surrender himself to gravity and fall straight down. Now that his path is determined it's impossible for the fairy to miss. With as much magic as she can muster, she produces and throws nearly a hundred knives at the same time. Many hit their target. Receiving great damage the wolf can no longer brace itself and crashes into the ground. Then it is silent.

Lowering herself in her float she observes closely without letting down her guard. Suddenly the wolf leaps to his feet and snaps, but the fairy is well out of distance. Werewolves have a nasty regenerative ability, and unfortunately attacks of Daiyousei's level aren't enough to deliver a fatal blow. However, they are enough to cripple the mythical creature. In actuality this should have been considered a draw, but as Daiyousei's objective was not victory and instead the protection of a fairy, this was her win. Understanding he'd have to search for another meal, the werewolf flees.

Once she is certain the threat is gone Daiyousei lowers herself to the ground and collapses on her backside in exhaustion. This was far too much excitement for this early in the morning.

"Elder Daiyousei!" it was the same voice that gave warning.

The fairy that had originally been on the menu approaches in a run.

"Is everything okay?"

The elder weakly smiles and places her hand on her companion's head. Even though they are both fairies, the green-haired golden-winged one is taller by nearly 25 centimeters. It is of little wonder why this one is addressed as "Elder."

"I'm fine," Daiyousei assures. "How about you?"

The fairy displays her wing.

"Oh no, it's broken. That will take some time to heal. Will you be okay?"

The fairy nods. "I was sent to get some water by the lake. Someone should come looking for me soon. You gave that nasty wolf a good beating, so he shouldn't be eating any fairies anytime soon."

A small giggle escapes Daiyousei's lips, "I think it was _we_ who gave him a beating."

Grinning, "Aye, I guess so. That big idiot completely forgot about me and I could track him easily!"

True. Since there were two sets of eyes his trick was doomed to fail. Daiyousei's just glad the fairy didn't decide to run away.

"Were you going to see Cirno?"

The revelation of her plans didn't come as a surprise. Since she goes to see her friend every day it must have been obvious to the other fairies.

"Yes I am. If I don't wake her up she'll sleep until noon."

"Tell her I said 'hi!'"

Daiyousei smiles, "I will."

Seeing that the fairy chose to climb a tree and wait until her friends arrive, Daiyousei decides it's safe to leave her alone. With a wave she departs.

Above the treeline

Sitting atop what could only be described as a tear in the sky, a woman clad in a purple dress watches the scene unfold underneath her. Twirling her parasol she's using for shade, one might guess she was as excited as a dog wagging it's tail.

"That was certainly entertaining," she tells herself. "Not exactly David versus Goliath, but that little fairy was certainly an underdog. If only I could have made a bet with someone, I'd have a really big payday. Oh well."

From the tear she was sitting upon, somehow she steps inside.

"I wonder what else I'll find today."

Slowly her body sinks inside, lost in it's pitch blackness. Once she's submerged the tear closes and completely vanishes leaving no hint of herself.

The shores of Misty Lake

Daiyousei may have had a rough morning, but she's plenty tough for a fairy. Such a small matter as a life-or-death experience wasn't enough to keep her from visiting her friend. Cirno lives at the edge of the lake, never too far from water. For her home it was an apt location. Unlike most fairies who are one part flesh-and-blood and another part magic, Cirno is a fairy who was made entirely of water. Particularly ice.

In many ways is her friend an oddity. Not only is she constructed differently, but the scope of her power is tremendous for a fairy. Daiyousei's considered a greater-fairy in terms of her height and power, and a rare few are more powerful than her. However, Cirno could easily trounce all of them if they came at her all at once. In fact she nearly has. Not long ago three of the strongest fairies tried their best in that endeavor, but in the end their combined effort couldn't stop one of their own kind. Amongst the fairies it's clear Cirno's the strongest. In fact she could almost be considered their queen, but Daiyousei's dearest friend cared only for the day's jovialities. For this she was glad, otherwise she didn't think she could be friends with such a regal person.

With a body of water and the ability to manipulate the cold, Cirno chose to make herself a home of snow. After it's destruction from the three fairies, the ice fairy has since remade her igloo dwelling. Even when gone that spot held some mysterious power. On the sandy shore of the beach ice and snow pack the ground and an igloo stands no matter the heat or season. One would assume it's her power keeping it in place, but even in her absence this area doesn't allow for even a fraction to melt. Daiyousei already knew this, but Cirno is definitely special.

Always did the greater-fairy find this place almost too cold to bare. Hence they would always go out to wander and play.

Daiyousei touches down in the soft snow and approaches with her feet crunching into the ground with each step. Slightly does the fairy have to bow to pass through the entrance. Cirno designed this igloo to accommodate her own height, and despite her power she was shorter than the greater-fairy by over half a head. Cirno could have been that kind of person who might take issue with her friend's height, but it seems the strong ice fairy held no misgivings about being short. Even with physiques and prowesses at odds, the two could still treat each other as equals. This was just another insert on a long list as to why Daiyousei liked Cirno.

"Excuse me," Daiyousei whispers while entering the igloo, "I'm coming in."

Like always Cirno was out cold (no pun intended). Her sleeping face was always so cute with her mouth wide open and her disproportionately quiet snores. Every morning she's tempted to pinch her little cheeks until she wakes. Cirno would get so mad at that though, but she's sure to forgive her in no time. Maybe one of these days she'll draw up to courage to actually do it.

However, it certainly wasn't going to be this morning. This morning Cirno was not cute. The ice fairy lay on her side with a hand clutched to her chest and panting heavily. Something is gravely wrong.

"Cirno!" Daiyousei shouts.

Rushing to her side the panicking friend tries to diagnose what's wrong. At first touch Daiyousei immediately discovers the direness of the situation. Cirno's temperature is that of a normal human, which in itself is terrifyingly eerie. This is a body that's supposed to radiate cold. On the hottest days of summer she'd be invited to the Hakurei Shrine to substitute for an air conditioner. Subconsciously power leaks out of her nearly always, so to have a body this warm seemed impossible.

Quickly does the fairy realize this is beyond the scope of her ability. Hardly do fairies get sick in the first place, but for the most part they have very similar physiologies. Cirno however was the exception of exceptions. Only one person of whom she could think would be capable of treating such unique a case.

Often is this fairy pair visitors to the human village. Not are they alone, as many other youkai and the like also do. In this towns youkai and other mythical creatures are nearly free to socialize. That is a neutral territory where fighting is prohibited. Amongst the individuals Cirno and herself have met, there was a doctor of the highest renown. She is a lunarian, a race similar to humans whom once resided on the moon. From what Daiyousei knew there was no better healer in all of Gensokyo.

However there was a slight problem, this healer was only known through association. From what Daiyousei knew the doctor hardly left her home in Eientei, a mansion in the Bamboo Forest of the Lost. Often the healer sends her aid Reisen, a Moon Rabbit, to peddle her medicines. If there was a way to get in contact with the healer, it was through her.

While the fairy was pondering the best course to take for helping her friend, she made her sick companion as comfortable as possible. It was somewhat heartbreaking, but Cirno didn't even wake from her desperate slumber while being moved around. All Daiyousei could do was shift her sick body around and pray everything would be okay if she were left alone. With so little being done the green-haired fairy had to leave her friend in need.

In the fairy's wake

Exactly identical to the tear that closed above the battle with the werewolf, another appears inside the igloo. From it emerges the same woman as before. Stepping through the tear the woman finds herself before the sick ice fairy. Though it might have been rude to enter directly into someone's home, if this woman tried to go through the entrance she'd probably have to crawl. As if this were her penitence, after entering she immediately shivers and rubs her arms as she hugs herself.

"I thought these things were supposed to be warm inside," she complains.

Once she accustomed herself to the radical temperature change, the woman bends down and inspects the sick. After an initial examination the woman removes her long white glove. Brushing the fairy's short blue hair from her brow, she proceeds to touch her forehead.

"Intriguing," she mumbles.

After she's finished the woman returns the glove and stands.

"I thought only idiots and Cirno couldn't catch colds, but I guess I'm wrong. It must be the end of the world."

Curiosity satisfied, the woman exits.


	3. Requesting a Guide

Heart of the Human Marketplace

Those who were familiar with Daiyousei and Cirno greet the sole fairy as they pass, but the one person for whom she was searching couldn't be found. Reisen didn't officially own a shop. On the days she sold medicine she did so from a rented stall. The majority of the time it remained vacant. Although the fairy doesn't know exactly which stall it might be, it was clear the Moon Rabbit wasn't here today. Now what was she to do?

"Good morning Dai-chan," a voice calls from behind, "I don't see Cirno-chan today."

Immediately recognizing the voice, the fairy quickly turns and greets, "Keine-sensei!"

Keine Kamishirasawa, the village's most famous resident. Everybody who's ever entered this village has at least met with the illustrious sensei. Though to be more precise, everybody who's entered has done so only because Keine allowed it. Being the village's de facto guardian she possesses the power to completely hide the village from anybody whom could do it harm. Although she appears as a normal human with long silver hair, on rare occasion she transforms into her youkai form; most notable difference being twin horns sprouting from her head and red eye color. Also does she work as a teacher as indicated by the books she's carrying. Human and youkai alike, all whom are willing to study are welcomed. Even Daiyousei and Cirno have enrolled in class on occasions, though it was doubtful the ice fairy retained anything.

Seeing the dire panic in the small fairy's face Keine realizes, "What's wrong?"

In near tears Daiyousei tells her, "Cirno's sick! Cirno's very sick!"

The sensei almost said, "Did she eat something strange off the ground," but despite being that senseless the ice fairy had never gotten sick. Though the teacher only knew this from stories gathered by others (Cirno was tremendously popular with the village children). For all Keine knew Cirno might have ate poisonous mushrooms on a regular basis and would be fine all the same. From the stare herself and Daiyousei shared she could tell they were both thinking the same thing: Normally Cirno's as healthy as an ox. To bring her down with illness, this must have been tremendously serious.

"Were you trying to find Reisen?"

Daiyousei nods.

"She won't be coming today," Keine continues. "Last night was the Moon Festival," (Daiyousei couldn't believe she forgot! On more than an occasion had she and Cirno crashed that party.) "If she's not drunk or hungover, she'll be busy helping Eirin restock, if _she's_ not drunk or hungover."

Eirin Yagokoro, genius herbalist who's said to even possess the skill to craft the potion of immortality. If there was someone in need of a healer there was no better person to whom to turn.

Daiyousei already knew in which direction to seek aid, but there was a problem with that.

"You don't know how to reach Eientei," Keine concludes. "You're afraid you'll get lost in Bamboo Forest of the Lost?"

They don't call it that without reason. Tightly clenching the hem of her long skirt, Daiyousei nods in frustration.

"I see. Since last night was a full moon, some dangerous creatures are still lurking around outside, so I can't leave the village. But I know someone who can help get you there. Do you remember Mokou-san?"

The fairy does remember Fujiwara no Mokou, the close friend of Keine-sensei. Mokou would be classified as anti-social. If she was ever spotted in town it was by Keine's side. Though she would never participate, every so often she'd sit in on Keine's classes. The children adored the white-haired woman, but she herself was bad with them. Very awkward was she at socializing with anyone other than the teacher.

"Good," Keine exclaims after Daiyousei nodded. "You know the treeline outside the classroom's window? Mokou-san should be resting around there. After the Moon Festival she doesn't like to stay at home, so she's always nearby my class. Just tell her I sent you and she'll make sure you reach Eientei."

Finally, a piece of good news. Feeling that she's one step closer to her goal, the fairy nods and quickly rushes away.

Watching her leave, Keine can't help but comment, "I hope something terrible doesn't happen."

At the place perfectly described

Showing just how well the sensei actually knows her, Mokou was at precisely the place Keine said. Daiyousei approaches cautiously.

Outside the field of vision of anybody that might look outside the schoolhouse window, a woman of long white hair sleeps. By the wear of her baggy clothes it appeared as if this person was accustomed to laying down in the middle of a forest. Not to say she was dirty, but these clothes in near ruin won't attract a lot of favorable attention.

"What do you want fairy?" Mokou, feigning sleep, abruptly says when Daiyousei approaches too close.

Startled, Daiyousei momentarily loses composure and is at a loss for words. This woman wasn't even looking her way, and not only did she know someone was coming but that it was also a fairy. Those are some frightening instincts.

"If you have nothing to say then go away."

Being further put off by those rude and hostile comments, Daiyousei can manage to say, "Eientei!"

"Eientei?" Mokou opens her eyes and peers at the fairy. "You don't want to go there right now. It's never a welcoming place right after the Moon Festival."

"I need you to take me to Eientei!"

"Why? You don't look like you're sick or anything."

"Not me, Cirno! Cirno-"

While she was speaking, Mokou mumbles, "The ice fairy?"

"-needs a doctor! Keine-sensei told me to come to you!"

Afterwords there's silence. Blood was rushing to Daiyousei's face as Mokou continues to stare. Then suddenly the woman pushes herself to her feet.

"Eirin rarely makes house calls. We should probably pick up the ice fairy and bring her there."

Surprised by this sudden turn around, Daiyousei become filled with jubilation, "You'll take me? Thank you Miss Mokou!" Then she realizes, "Wait. Is it okay to move a sick person?"

"Depends, I guess. But unless it's really serious Eirin's going to make us drag the ice fairy with us."

How serious was Cirno's physical state? Honestly Daiyousei had no idea, but the mystery enough should warrant utmost care.

"No, we shouldn't move her."

Mokou shrugs, "Alright, your call. All I have to do is take you there."

* * *

_Hello everyone, I hope you're enjoying my newest work so far. This time it's a fairly short chapter so I thought I'd liven it up a bit with some of my comments. As you've already noticed "Legend of the Strongest" is about the story of Cirno, but Cirno is hardly anywhere to be found. Not only that, but many, MANY, characters from Touhou have roles to play that can be major or minor. I try to write in a style in where someone not familiar with this shooting game franchise can understand everything that's going on, but Touhou is so expansive that this story would require a _Les Misérables_ level of commitment. I'd like to think I'm up to the task, but even I have to be realistic.  
_

_Anyway...  
_

_The format of this story might seem a little weird so let me explain something. Legend of the Strongest is broken into Acts and Scenes. Unfortunately if I were to post only one scene at a time we'd have chapters that are only a couple of paragraphs long. Since that would be an indexing nightmare for this site (it would work in book form), I've jumbled a couple of scenes together per chapter. I try to keep scenes together that have a common theme, but sometimes that simple isn't allowed, so I hope you excuse the inconsistency. _

_And by the way, as I type this I've already written up to Act 4. I'm planning to do updates biweekly while I continue to etch out the rest of the tale. I _could_ flood the site with chapters, but I like leaving the reader with a sense of anticipation. The reason I hadn't started posting chapters as soon as I began this project was because I wanted to catch up with Scene Zero in the main story so I could keep consistency. After all, after a bombshell intro chapter like that one I have to actually reach that marker at some point. I have to explain why the Scarlet Sisters are there, why the Scarlet Devil knows of her fate, and why this _mysterious_ attacker is actually strong enough to take down that overwhelming combination. I didn't want to appear overambitious and end up dropping the story because I couldn't figure out how to make it work, but at the time I posted Scene Zero I'd already crossed those Ts and dotted those Is, so no worries there.  
_

_Well, I think that's enough from me so I'll take no more of your time. I hope you continue reading and enjoy the coming chapters.  
_

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	4. Battle in the Bamboo Forest

In the depths of the lost

It was probably a good idea to leave Cirno back at her home. Mokou was willing enough to help (especially after her friend's name was dropped), but to keep up with the wigged fairy the woman crafted wings of flame to give her flight. Daiyousei decided not to comment but her concerns were clear to the guide. Mokou tried to assure the fairy that her control of flames were good enough that she wouldn't accidentally melt Cirno in her arms, but Daiyousei was skeptical of all the scorch marks on her shirt.

At their speed the journey from the village to Eientei shouldn't have been long with a guide, but that was simply her hope. With the tall bamboo blocking daylight and a low mist covering the ground, it was difficult even keeping one's own directions. Time and space nearly seem to be lost in this place. Every direction after every meter looks exactly the same and even the eerie silence seems to be defiant of time. Though in this was a sort of sanctuary, a calm and peaceful place in which someone who wishes to avoid society might take comfort. From what the fairy knew the Bamboo Forest of the Lost it wasn't a particularly dangerous place. Although incorrect, at least the danger doesn't stem from the physical kind. At least in comparison to other places such as the Forest of Magic.

"Um," Daiyousei utters.

"What?"

Mokou hadn't said a word since she agreed to escort the fairy. The silence had become uncomfortable and was getting unbearable.

"I've heard that you help people when they're lost in this forest."

Now that she searched her memory, there was many tales from the villagers of the guide. Being that her personality makes her unapproachable, the tales often neglect the use of Mokou's name. Had these stories and rumor been more detailed she'd might be more famous than some kind of rarely seen specter.

"The forest can be a confusing place. There are no roads and almost no landmarks. Worst yet you can't even see the sun from underneath the canopy, so it's easy to lose your bearings. Even a map won't help. When people get lost here it could take days before they find their way out. I just point them in the right direction so they don't die out here."

Daiyousei giggles.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh! I'm sorry. It's nothing really."

"Uh huh."

"It's just that Keine-sensei talks about you sometimes during class."

"What?" she shouts. "What does she say about me?"

By how flustered Mokou was becoming it was clear what was said about her is true. It might be fun to play with her a bit, but than again this person was doing the fairy a huge favor.

"Oh, she says things like, 'I have a friend who just can't be honest with herself,' and, 'she can sometimes seem mean, but she's really a gentle and caring person.' Oh, and, 'you shouldn't be like my friend who's clumsy and can't say what she really feels.'"

Red from ear to ear, Mokou grits her teeth and mumbles, "What's she doing talking about me in front of the kids."

Suddenly they stop. Both feel the foul aura in the air and take an alert position. Hostility and murderous intent are oozing from a being, though it wasn't clear if they were being targeted.

"Stay close," Mokou whispers.

Doing so Daiyousei falls under the shadow of her guide. Mokou douses her wings but still somehow remains afloat. Was that her way of showboating?

"There. I've never seen something like that in this forest."

Daiyousei recognized the creature treading on the ground, "That's an owl-bear. We see them every so often by Misty Lake, but they mainly stick by the river at Youkai Mountain. They're nocturnal and only venture out of their territory when they are hoarding food for winter."

An owl-bear's only resemblance to either of the two creatures are it's furry hind legs and it's beak, otherwise it looks like a total nightmare. Standing over 300 centimeters only when it's down on all fours, this behemoth is also over 1400 kilograms. As stated it's hinds legs are covered in black fur, but it's fore are quilted in feathers. Instead of paws it has two bird-like claws but no distinguishable wings. It may have an owl's beak but it nearly has no face, just that mouth and two beady little black eyes. A truly nightmarish creation. Rumor has it that they weren't brought into this world naturally, but conjured by some now long dead magician. While their origins might have been lost, the species still thrives.

"Well it's a different season and time of day, so you're wrong on both counts," Mokou objects.

Dejected, Daiyousei couldn't retort. What she knew about owl-bears as well as werewolves were proving to be incorrect.

"Whatever the case something that menacing-looking doesn't belong here."

"Wait!" Daiyousei tried to stop her, but Mokou had easily escaped where her whispers could reach.

Mokou crosses her arms across her chest then throws them out wide. From her core a flame emerges. Shaped as a bird this fiery phoenix sores with the grace of a gale. The owl-bear doesn't even have a chance to recognize this threat before the missile crashes into it's body in a fierce detonation. In an instant it's fur and wings are incinerated and it's hole body ablaze. Only for a few seconds does it run in a panic before it falls to the ground, dead.

"That should take care of that intruder. The roads should be safe for-"

"It's not over!" Daiyousei shouts. "Owl-bears travel in-"

At the time the fairy shouted her warning, while Mokou was distracted, something swops in at high speed. What Daiyousei was trying to say was that Owl-bears travel in packs.

Caught overly-triumphant, this creature comes in from above and tackles Mokou mid-air. Just because they are so large and heavy and have no wings to speak of, doesn't mean owl-bears can't fly. With it's front talons it caught Mokou by the wrists and held them spread apart. Once it captured some prey their combined masses can no longer hold them in flight and they spiral to the ground. Corkscrewing like a plane with only one wing, somehow the bear manages and land with the woman underneath it.

"Aaaaaaaaa!" Mokou screams as all that weight crashes atop her.

"Miss Mokou!" Daiyousei yells, but then pushes herself to the side as quickly as possible. Another Owl-bear misses it's mark by only a moment.

Only when she witnessed it for herself did she realize how the creature achieved flight. It's forelegs weren't nowhere near as stubby as its rear, and also did they have the advantage of stretching long. It might have feathers, but it's wing pattern matched more of a mammal's. Like a bat or flying squirrel. True flight might actually be impossible for them, but at the very least it can glide.

Immediately after dodging did Daiyousei throw her magic knives in counter. Unlike Mokou the fairy had expected others to come and was thus prepared. Many of her attacks hit the monster, but it is otherwise unaffected. A creature this large with that think a hide wouldn't go down with only a dozen or two hits.

Meanwhile Mokou and her attacker weren't in much of a struggle. Despite being crushed and her intense pain, Mokou still managed to crane her neck to peer back. What she sees is not only it's claws stretched wide so that her hands were locked so she could not use magic, but where there before wasn't even a face, the owl-bears neck stretched long. Currently it was looking behind it to see the pair currently locked in combat above them. Confirming nothing was going to interfere it turns back to it's prey.

"You heavy basta-"

This was also she could say before the creature bites down on her neck.

Daiyousei hears Mokou's terrible scream, and also when it suddenly cuts off. She's lost her guide. Survival of the strongest. From what the fairy saw the one whom possessed Keine-sensei's trust was plenty powerful herself, but to fall to the likes of these creatures was no laughing matter. Daiyousei knows the same fate awaits hers unless she can find some means to defeat these two. First a werewolf and now a pack of owl-bears. Today's a terrible day.

Hidden in the underbrush

Now was the time to seize the moment. Without awaiting a signal the first leaps from it's position and darts as fast as possible towards the melee. Behind him he can hear the others doing the same. A slightly disorganized start but their unity and teamwork will easily make up for the operation's beginnings. Now was the time to act lest a slow response increase the dangers.

Leading the pack the vanguard first targets the fairy. As her combat with the owl-bear is so dire nohow would she expect a blow from below. While this might not be completely necessary, taking the fairy down would perhaps yield extra benefits.

Leaping into the air the leader twists his body and places a foot on one of the tall bamboo and uses it as a spring. It makes his body curve while in the air, but the leader accurately calculated his angle. Without a giving a sliver of detection the fairy is tackled just as the owl-bear was about to attack again. The flying creature was only a tad slower.

The vanguard drags the fairy down to the ground and slams her hard. Immediately she losses consciousness. Never stopping a moment in his sprint, his first victim is left disregarded while he allows the others to clean up. Not long later he hears the screams of the owl-bear as it's suddenly become the receiving end of an attack. Their organization was indeed flawless. Now all that was left was the main course.

This prey should understand well the effectiveness of sneak attacks. In one fell swoop it trapped and decapitated it's target. With such a stellar performance and it's prize literally at the end of it's drooling beak, it's impossible to not completely surrender one's guard. By the time it heard the scream of it's companion and turned it's head to look behind, it was far too late.

Far too quickly for reason to comprehend, a creature of lean mass descends from it's pounce and land's on it's back. From it's four legs claws dig into it's skin as the creature's momentum is ground to a halt. Coming to a stop in a perfect position, razor sharp teeth from a gaping maw are in the perfect position to clamp down on the owl-bears exposed, elongated neck. The predator does precisely that.

Unlike the rest of it's exposed, bulky, muscular body, the owl-bear's neck is comprised of a thin membrane and soft muscle tissue. This flesh is so tender that the bite rips threw it effortlessly. Had the attacker a larger mouth the head (face) would have been completely severed, but with such a gaping hole in it's neck the end result could only be the same.

The owl-bear was already dead, but nervous impulses forces the body to thrash around. The dealer of the mortal blow dismounts with ghastly calm. While his victim pounces about horribly the leader slowly removes himself so he doesn't accidentally get crushed by this dying animal. Looking towards his companions he sees the others are coming to join him. It appears as though the other owl-bear had managed to flee, but that was of no matter. Their objective was one and that was all they need. Anything more would be wasteful.

There is a loud thud and low rumblings as his prey finally succumbs to it's wound. As he was the instigator of the kill, the leads the group in a howl. The others follow shortly.

Unknown to Death

"Owwwww!" Mokou shouts as if she's suddenly awakened herself from a nightmare.

Drowsy for a moment the white-haired woman furiously searches her memories of the past few moments. Like a fleeting dream the past seems intangible and on the boarder of forgotten. Looking around she sees she's been surrounded and the green-haired fairy and herself are in the center of it. At that moment she remembers.

Leaping to her feet suddenly her entire body is covered in flames, "Fairy get back!"

As if half expecting this Daiyousei wastes no time throwing herself in front of Mokou, "Wait! Stop!"

Mokou might not be completely positive on what has occurred while she was out of it, but she was fairly certain they were surrounded by wolves. Not only that, but some clearly vicious ones at that. Larger than normal wolves by twice, they had a somewhat awkward body where their stomachs and chest cavities were larger than normal. Also did their fur seem perpetually in a breeze as their hair waved in a non-existent wind. Not to mention their yellow eyes glowed.

"Don't Miss Mokou! They saved us!"

At the very least there doesn't seem to be any attacking going on, so the guide retracted her flames. Looking around she can see the charbroiled carcass of the one she got, and the ravaged corpse of the one that got her. If the wolves were looking for a meal there was much better options than herself and a fairy.

"Are you really saying they helped us?" she couldn't quite believe this tale.

"Maybe I should be the one to address this concern," came an authoritative and husky voice that would have suited a village elder.

Surprised, Mokou feels ambushed and frantically scans left and right, "Who said that?"

"You needed look further than your own nose," it again speaks.

There was only one possible candidate, "You?" she points to the wolf.

"That is correct," and she sees it mouth the words.

"Ah! A talking wolf youkai!"

"Miss Mokou," Daiyousei interrupts, "they are not wolves, but wargs."

"And neither are we youkai," the leader warg adds. "We are closer to natural animals, but we've been raised and trained by the gods and have thus been imbued with intelligence and the ability to speak. At most we are demigods."

Specifics didn't seem to matter much to Mokou, but she'd keep that in mind. Still, there was something bothering her, "Why did you help us?"

"Specifically we helped great-fairy, but to answer your intent we'd been stalking that flock of owl-bears for days. Their chase led us to your territory where we lost the right to claim stake-"

"Sorry," Mokou wasn't quite following, "my territory?"

"Yes. Warg and wolf can only hunt in our own territories. Your scent lingers all throughout this forest. You've marked an audaciously large area."

It took a moment for Mokou to realize what the warg meant by "marked." Once she realizes this she blushes in shame and can't retain eye-contact.

"So we happened upon your hunt but saw you killed by one of your prey. Once the owner of a territory dies it is free for anyone to invade. Had we known you were immortal we would not have been so imprudent. For that we must ask your apology."

The leader-warg bows his head as if in shame, and the other follow in short suit. Honestly all their courtesy was making the immortal woman uncomfortable.

"You don't have to apologize or anything; I don't consider myself the master of this forest or anything. Honestly there isn't even anything you'd want to hunt, and the earth rabbits are more fearsome than they look."

"Worry not, we shall return to Youkai Mountain after we claim our prize. With the size of this prey we shan't need to hunt for at least a moon-cycle."

"Do you know why those buzzards came all the way out here?"

Shaking his head, the warg either had to sneeze or was signalling 'no,' "Many matter of beast have been displaying odd behaviors recently. Perhaps some of our instincts had been sacrificed for intelligence for we know not why this has become."

Daiyousei thought about 'odd behaviors.' The werewolf she fought this morning definitely fit into that category. So many were acting this strange?

"I see," Mokou was dissatisfied, but no good would come from being aggressive. "Well, thank you for the assistance. Can't say it would have been pleasant resurrecting after being eaten."

"What matter you expire deems different amounts of pain? Decapitation alone seems a most horrendous experience. We all witnessed your head dissipate into smoke then reform itself on your shoulders. I can't say I envy your immortality."

"Maybe it's not all that bad, especially here in Gensokyo. You get to see all kinds of things if you can manage to stick around. The majority of anything that can speak is at least in humanoid form. Never saw a talking beasty before."

"A rare breed we are, and I must say it's been a pleasure meeting you as well, Immortal."

"Fujiwara no Mokou."

"And I am the pack-leader, Hati. And you, Great-Fairy, I too wish to know the name of one so small yet courageous to not flee in such a dire situation."

The fairy hadn't been a part of the dialog. That she be so suddenly praised makes her blush and slightly withdrawn so she doesn't speak immediately.

"You didn't run away?" Mokou questions. "That's pretty brave of you little fairy."

"Are you not companions?" asks Hati. "By the way she wept by your, at the time, life-less body I imagine the two of you were in a close relationship."

"She cried?"

"Yes. After the other fled and danger had passed, when we happened upon your corpse she-"

"My name is Daiyousei!" she shouts as her embarrassment reaches it's max. Had she known Fujiwara no Mokou was immortal she might not have acted the way that she did, and having it retold in her presence was simply too much to bare. Likewise, yelling out as she is and interrupting someone was also hard on her, so much so that she closes her eyes as if to issolate herself as she speaks. "People sometimes calls me Dai-chan!"

The warg emits something that might be a laugh, "Well met, Daiyousei and Fujiwara no Mokou. I can't imagine your business would allow you to tarry in this place much longer."

"Ah right! We still have to ask Eirin to see Cirno!"

"Right," Mokou nods. "I haven't forgotten. But there's a little mess we have to get worked out."

Namely the remains of the two owl-bears.

Explaining, "My kin and I shall claim our kill, but the other is yours by right."

With a hand to her chin, Mokou ponders, "I wonder if it's still yakitori even though it's only half bird?" Then concludes, "Well, when we reach Eientei I'll get some of the rabbits to help carry it to the village. We better get going then, right Dai-chan? We don't want Cirno to get any worse or this good meat to rot, right?"

Very few ever call Daiyousei by name, and to now have two more was very exciting. Dai-chan nods enthusiastically and bids farewell to the wargs.

Aside the carcasses

"Was it wise to not eat the immortal?" one of the warg asks Hati. "Did the stench of the moon not linger when she was dead?"

"Your nose has gotten dull. She may be an immortal and smell of the moon, but she was born a human."

"But surely you could use her power to-"

"Watch your tongue! Only I can know when gap-demon is present, so do not carelessly offer your words! And no, I have no need of Fujiwara no Mokou's power, nor desire her immortality. But I have great interest in these females. Following the immortal may draw me closer to my true prey; and that fairy, she mentioned an ancient name. It may or may not be a coincidence, but this 'Cirno' demands further investigation."

"Then what shall you do?"

"I'll track the immortal. Cirno, even if true, is of lesser importance. Send a messenger to my brother and have him handle that matter."


	5. A Case for a Specialist

At the doors of their destination

As she swept, the lone vertical figure sighed many times. No matter how much she cleans the mansion grounds her work seems without end. Last night's festival was not to be greater than most, but somehow things got out of hand. When the girl steps over a sleeping rabbit and catches the smell of booze, she sighs again. Someone must have raided the storehouse and then passed around the sake, or perhaps even spiked the mochi. As she partook in the festivities as well she's amazed she didn't notice the events leading to this outcome, though maybe that was by design. Everyone cut loose and got drunk, and they intentionally do so out of her sight? Is she that much of a nag and worry-wort that they feels such actions are necessary? She sighs again.

"Happiness escapes every time you sigh," an immediately recognizable voice calls from the entryway.

"Mokou," the girl says before she even sees her. "I wouldn't expect you to come today."

"Only the Tengu Reporter would be interested in seeing this sad sight, so I doubt you'll get any other visitors today Reisen."

The moon rabbit couldn't argue with that. Everywhere she looked was litter and fallen earth rabbits who all were still sleeping in the most unflattering positions. She even remembered seeing the lady of the house passed out in the hallway.

After reliving this morning's travesties, and sighing, she notices another person should wouldn't have thought to expect, "You're the ice fairy's friend, Daiyousei, right? What brings you here?"

At the sound of her name the green-haired fairy face lightens in delight. Another person who called her by name! Actually, seeing Reisen cleaning up after everyone else's mess reminds her a bit of herself. Maybe they actually have a lot in common.

Seeing that her companion was speechless, the white-haired immortal puts her hand on the fairy's back and pushes her forward.

"Go ahead Dai-chan."

"Yes!" Then turning to Reisen, she explains the situation.

"You want to see Eirin? I don't know if she's up."

Even after all that's happened, it still isn't much after 9 o'clock.

Reisen didn't know how far the effects of alcohol spread into Eientei. So if even her master is hung over there wasn't any hope for the little fairy. Normally she wouldn't even attempt to wake Eirin at this hour out of fear of reprimand, but Dai-chan's face seems so desperate. She couldn't refuse her. Again the moon rabbit sighs over her misfortune.

"Okay, I'll take you to her."

"Yes! Thank you!"

And that smile she now wore was too much to refuse. It almost made the doctor's assistant a little brave.

The three of them head towards the personal room of Eirin Yagokoro, though one of them seem an unlikely addition.

"Did you need something as well Mokou? When you guide people here you usually leave immediately."

Indeed it was fascinating. Because a certain someone resides in this mansion the immortal woman spends no more time here than necessary in hopes of avoiding said person. To accompany of all people, a fairy, to see the doctor, something must have happened between these two.

Daiyousei watches in slight confusion.

"Ah, actually, I was wondering if you could round up some sober rabbits to help me drag a carcass back to the village. I caught a pretty big bird this morning."

Deflection. The way Mokou looks slightly to the right and raises her shoulders, that was the tell-tale sign that she was lying. Her body language is so transparent that it was amazing she even tries to fool anybody. While the story of the bird might be true, the reason most definitely is not. For whatever reason she's worried about the fairy. Well, that's a good thing. Mokou isn't at all social so when she makes a new friend it's always a treat. But seriously, what happened that she would befriend a common fairy?

"Sure thing. I'll ask Tewi to round some up."

As they turn the corner, a figure is sprawled out before them. Dressed in one of the most exquisite kimonos, that mop of long black hair, and an unnatural position on the floor, there was no mistake about her identity. It was the lady of the house, Kaguya Houraisan, and Mokou's mortal enemy. This could be bad.

Before the situation explodes, Reisen tries to lead them forward, "This way," she says with sweat starting to drip from her brow.

Reisen and Daiyousei make sure to carefully step over the plastered princess, while Mokou makes sure to carefully step on the plastered princess. There's a "gwak!" as she's stepped on, but she somehow remains asleep. Mokou seems disinterested all the same. This is perhaps the best possible outcome. Reisen won't test her luck and says nothing.

They arrive at Eirin's door and Reisen raises her fist to knock, but she freezes and becomes visibly disturbed. Waking up her master can put the woman in a very foul mood, and when she's in a foul mood she finds creative ways to release her stress. Those creative ways often involve experiments and her sometimes careless assistant. If she's lucky the treatment will be so bad that she'll wipe her mind of the experience, but wishing for amnesia in and of itself is pathetic. That made no comfort to the moon rabbit. But she said she'd take them to her, so that's exactly what she is going to do.

After a terrified knock, Reisen announces herself, "Excuse me, Sensei, someone's here to see you."

"Come in," came the clam voice of her master.

Reisen sighs, but this time out of relief. Eirin's up and in a pleasant mood. This is early for her, so something involving research must have recently caught her interest. She might not have even slept last night. This was indeed a favorable result.

"Excuse us," the assistant says while leading the guests inside.

What she saw answered many of her questions from this morning. Eirin's bedroom also doubled for her lab. On the examination table was the petite childish figure of an earth rabbit, particularly Tewi Inaba. On her back, snoring loudly, her particularly long rabbit ears dangle over the edge of the table. Since Tewi couldn't possibly have lifted herself up there in her condition, it was clear it was Eirin who put her there. Likewise, the cause of the drunk outbreak this morning was likely too her doing. This master of hers...

"I have a patient for you," Reisen says daring not to draw attention to the elephant in the room.

Turning around in her chair, that long white braid of hair swings in a dull arc. "How are you doing?" she asks, but looking at Reisen and not Daiyousei.

"What? Me? I'm fine."

Grey eyes squint under a narrowed brow and displeasure is clear upon her face. The lunarian mumbles something to herself and then raises form her seat. In hast she grabs the bottle that was laying near Tewi, opens it, and runs it underneath Reisen's nose. Not that the smell is terrible, but these actions greatly terrified the moon rabbit and she recoils.

"What are you-"

"How about now?" the doctor doesn't let her protest. "Do you feel anything now?"

"What? No!"

"Really," she mutters in disappointment. "It worked so well on all the earth rabbits, I thought it would work on you too. I guess it's another failure."

"What are you trying to do to me?" Reisen, in a rare and brave act, accuses her master.

The glare shot back at her assistant freezes her blood cold, but though terrified she doesn't back down.

Perhaps in a reward for bravery, Eirin explains, "I spread a pheromone around last night that was supposed to induce intoxication in all the rabbits, but it seems as if moon rabbits are unaffected. Rats."

The obvious question should have been "Why?" but rapidly is Reisen's logic and willpower drained. Nearly does she collapse on her own two feet and leans against a wall for support.

Watching this comedy unfold surely could have been amusing, but there was an important matter to discus, "Hey Eirin," Mokou speaks up.

"Oh, Mokou," her tone suddenly changes when noticing her patient, "I didn't notice you were here. What could possible be wrong? Sick? Have that not so immortal feeling?"

"No! Not for me. Her."

Daiyousei steps forward, but unsure of what she's supposed to say.

"I specialize in humans and rabbits. I'm not familiar with fairy illnesses."

"It's not for me," the fairy stutters. "It's Cirno. She's sick."

"Cirno?" the doctor question. "Isn't that the ice fairy? Is it possible she can get sick?"

"I don't know. Nothing like this has ever happened before!"

Emotions rising on Daiyousei's face display clear desperation. To say the least, Eirin is becoming intrigued.

"I see she isn't here. So it was so bad that you thought not to move her? What are her symptoms?"

"Well, she wouldn't wake up this morning, she's panting heavily, and her body's warm."

Initially the doctor's thoughts drift to a cold or flu, but of an ice fairy variation. Nearly immediately did she dismiss those two diagnoses. Viruses like influenza don't jump species, and if it somehow has it it would have already been an epidemic. For fairies whom never contracted the virus they'd have absolutely no inherited antibodies. Fatalities would rise in quick succession and may wipe out the entire species. Since this fairy seems to be fine after coming into contact with the ice fairy it isn't likely.

The normal doctor/patient consultation ensues with Daiyousei answering to the best of her abilities. From everything that could be told the little ice fairy was perfectly fine up till last night when these two friends parted. There were absolutely no preemptive symptoms that could have predicted a sickly state. After Daiyousei made all her explanations they knew even less than they did before.

Though there was an amusing story. Yesterday they visited the antique shop in the Forest of Magic. They had neither business nor money, but decided to bug the shopkeeper Rinnosuke Morichika regardless. In a prank, Cirno asked to borrow the man's glasses to understand the depths of his impaired visual acuity. Her actual purpose was to steal his glasses and switch them with a replica made of ice. It was supposed to be the perfect plan as he couldn't give chase if he couldn't see. Unfortunately she made the glasses too well and he could see perfectly fine with the subzero facsimile. Cirno was caught in short order and lectured. Though, for some reason Rinnosuke decided to keep the ice glasses.

"I see," Eirin mutters after hearing everything. "So to summarize you have absolutely no idea as to what's ailing the ice fairy."

Daiyousei can't answer with words, she merely shakes her head.

"Well, this certainly has all the qualifications of a medical mystery. It's definitely more interesting than drunk bunnies."

Seeing where this was going, the fairy gives a smile of hope brightening her dim expression.

"I think a house visit's in order. It's been a while since I've had a subject-I mean patient that demands this much attention."

Only Reisen caught that Freudian slip. More than a patient, Eirin has found her new toy. Helping the sick and experimenting on one's biology were one in the same to this healer. This woman's actual goal is to open up the ice fairy and see how she ticks, and if she just happens to cure the illness then that's all fine and dandy as well. If there is a better person to handle this task then Reisen would direct the fairy to them, but there probably isn't. Silently she offers a word of apology to the Cirno.

"Alright," Eirin declares after rising from her seat in an odd amount of enthusiasm. "Reisen, grab my things and let's go see this sick ice fairy."

A preliminary consultation

Mokou parted ways with the tough young fairy at the entryway to Eientei. It was a short yet affectionate farewell. Daiyousei thanked her guide with honest heartfelt gratitude and hugged her in appreciation. The normally phlegmatic immortal didn't seemed particularly bothered by the gesture, but the hazing glare of Eirin made the woman push the fairy away in embarrassment. Nevertheless Mokou said her goodbye and was left behind.

Now consisting of three, the party of Daiyousei, Eirin, and Reisen head for Cirno's home on the shores of Misty Lake. Unlike before the designation was generally straightforward. From the mansion in the Bamboo Forest of the Lost to the lake it is a simple trek around the base of Youkai Mountain. There are a few light scuffles on their path, but definitely nothing the fairy couldn't handle on her own nor was it at the level which she faced this morning. In less than a quarter of the time it took her to reach Eientei she's returned to the igloo.

"I didn't think it would be this cold," Eirin complains.

Reisen nods while rubbing her arms to generate heat. If anything Daiyousei thought it would be the moon rabbit's legs that are cold with that short skirt she's wearing.

"The ice fairy is inside?"

Daiyousei nods. Inside the igloo it's tall enough for a full grown adult to stand, but through the entryway they'll either need to crouch drastically or even crawl. Reisen isn't particularly tall so she enters well enough, but Eirin is proving to have trouble. Eventually she makes it by twirling her long braided hair around her shoulders and shuffling in by something that looks like a crab-walk. Daiyousei knew better than to laugh, but she nearly tells Cirno to hold it in. Realizing her constant companion isn't at her side she's slightly stricken forlorn. But everything thus far was for this purpose, so she holds it in and braces herself for what awaits inside.

Cirno's still exactly where she was left this morning, though it looks like she's been tossing and turning all the while. Clothes disheveled, face a flush, panting heavily still, one might imagine something different if they saw this scene. Regardless of the specifics, the situation isn't good. Eirin takes a moment to fully comprehend the complexities of the ice fairy's predicament before she commences diagnosis.

Running through a normal routine of tests, the look on the doctor's face doesn't prove encouraging. After each procedure she writes the results, other notes, and speaks quietly with Reisen. It's painful for Daiyousei to watch especially since she can't tell if progress is being made. She wants to ask questions, wants to encourage the doctor, and wants to yell all at the same time. Heartrending to the point of tears, and when the doctor begins to undress her friend the fairy can't take it anymore and removes herself.

Several minutes pass as Daiyousei sits by the water's edge simply watching the calm waves. Only this gentle scene seem able to sooth her hectic mindset. Too many scenarios and possibilities are running through her imagination at the moment. From worst case to slightly less than worst case; nothing good is coming out of her being idle. Her search this morning was a well distraction, but now that she is powerless the waiting became torture. Was this the limit to her ability? Was there nothing else she could do?

Maybe half an hour it is until someone emerges from the igloo. It's Reisen, and the fairy can tell the doctor is in close retreat. On the moon rabbit's face is an expression none too encouraging.

"Do you know what's wrong?" Daiyousei's voice is weak as if she doesn't want to know the answer.

"We're not sure," Reisen only confirms her suspicions. "Cirno has a unique physiology. A body of ice and water in itself is a mystery, but what's more is that it can retain it's shape even above freezing temperatures. You'd think with how hot she was now that she'd quickly melt or turn into a liquid form, but that isn't the case."

"It's like she's held together completely by magic," Eirin says after she finally exits the igloo in a 'huff.' "It's almost like she isn't biological at all, but inside she indeed has organs that at least mimic those of normal fairies. Although I'd say she was closer to a human than a fairy, but I wouldn't know without cutting her open."

Immediately does Daiyousei's face go pale and she shouts, "Surgery?"

Eirin snorts out a laugh at the unexpected outburst, but restores herself nearly immediately, "No, that isn't necessary. While we might not know what's wrong, we know what's not wrong. Putting it simply, she isn't sick. There's no signs of viruses or infection."

"I don't understand," objecting, Daiyousei voices her concerns. "If she isn't 'sick' then what's wrong with her?"

"'Wrong' might be an incorrect word to use. If anything she's 'different,' but even then we can't be completely sure. I'd might have a better idea if I had done a full physical of the fairy before she succumb to this condition, but that's a mere hindsight. But you wouldn't happen to know of any other ice fairies around, would you?"

Daiyousei shakes her head, "No, but she's told me about her having a sister though."

"Do you know where she is?"

"No, I've never seen her. I don't even know her name. All Cirno's ever told me was that she kind of looks like her but tall, pretty, has long hair and big-" she stops herself, face flushes a little red, and turns her head away, "boobs. Though I've never heard of anyone looking that, I'm not sure if it's true or it's something Cirno may have made up."

Reisen, who's at least more familiar with the ice fairy than Eirin, voices her opinion, "That sounds like something she may have made up."

"I guess it doesn't matter," Eirin confesses. "I wasn't expecting an easy answer to pop up like that anyway."

Daiyousei is alarmed, "What are you going to do?"

"Well, magical creatures isn't my _forte_; it's medicine. I need to consult with someone who is knowledgeable in that area. A magician."

"A magician?" the fairy repeats. "Like Marisa or Lady Alice?"

Marisa Kirisame is a well-known troublemaker and has traveled all around Gensokyo. If there was someone who doesn't know this magician they'd been living underneath a rock, and even then Marisa probably has found some way to bug them in one way or another.

By Lady Alice, Daiyousei meant Alice Margatriod. Alice was famous in the human village for performing shows with her magically controlled puppets. Daiyousei and Cirno have watched her plays many times. "Lady" is merely a nickname given to her by the children.

"Well, I think Alice might be able to aid us," Eirin gives her opinion, "but I think the real specialist is right across the lake."

Daiyousei knew of whom she was referring, but intentionally kept from naming such magician. Across from their current position, in the middle of the lake, lies an island with a large mansion erected on the plot of land. It was the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Infamously known as the home of a vampire, that property has been the victim of Cirno's pranks many times over. Or at least prank attempts.

To enter the mansion one must first pass it's guard, a particularly strong youkai well-versed in the martial arts. In an upfront assault, Daiyousei and Cirno had never made it past the gate. However, the youkai isn't particularly a stellar guard as she often slacks off or falls asleep at her post. Despite this, Cirno had still found ways to attract notice.

However, on the very rare instance where they successfully infiltrate the mansion, what they've come to find inside is all the more worse. From the stronger-than-average fairy maids, the librarian, and the chief maid, there was enough to frighten someone without attracting the attention of the vampire mistress or her little sister. There was one such incident where they accidentally ran into the younger vampire sibling, and since that day Daiyousei has refused to even attempt going into that mansion ever again.

"Patchouli Knowledge is a very talented magician and skilled alchemist," explains Eirin as she names the librarian. "I can think of none better suited to help discover what's happening to your friend."

Whatever misgivings Daiyousei might have for asking help from the Scarlet Devil Mansion, if it's for Cirno's sake she'd brave any peril.

"Okay," despite her inability, Daiyousei is still the one in charge, "let's go ask."


	6. Masterminds

Overlooking the pale horse

In a handful of hours the sun will have shifted and the shade sunk to where a small girl resides. Atop one of the protruding building from the main estate, inside a covered patio balcony, this creature sits. She rests at a table with a cup of tea cooling from neglect. To the girl's side is a much taller adult woman. The woman is garbed in the uniform of a maid, and nearly a sentinel she watches and attends to any and all of the girl's needs. At the moment neither of them seem to be doing anything.

"Mistress," the maid speaks, clearly addressing the girl, "do you require that I bring you another cup of tea?"

For as long as the two were silent, the maid is slightly jarred by how quickly the girl responds, "No Sakuya, I'm just fine."

"Then would you like to retire inside?"

"No Sakuya, I'm fine."

"Then how about I bring you a desert?"

Repetitively insistent, the maid Sakuya clearly is agitated despite her calm appearance.

"Sakuya, if you have something to say just go ahead and say it."

There's a period of silence, and anyone could imagine that the maid is struggling with whether or not to speak her mind.

"Remilia, what's wrong?"

Not did she ask if something was wrong, but what was wrong. Did she dare think she knows her master so well that even Remilia's thoughts were known to her? Slightly does this agitate the mistress, and the bat-like wings extending from her back beats once. Had she not been sitting in a chair that gesture would have seemed more impressive.

But she did tell her attendant to speak her mind, "I'm merely enjoying my free time. There are so many interesting things happening all around us that it's easy to get lost in stare."

Sakuya' Izayoi's calm demeanor drops for a second and she scans the horizon. From her view there is absolutely nothing to see. Nothing that would garner attention caught her interest.

Moments later a fairy under her charge whispers something in Sakuya's ear. She passes the message to Remilia.

"Mistress, it appears we have guests requesting permission to enter the grounds and speak with Patchouli."

"So they didn't storm in but politely knocked?" Remilia thinks aloud. "I must say I'm impressed. Anyone this courteous is always welcome in my home."

Although it didn't seem she was speaking to Sakuya, the head maid takes the initiative and tells the fairy to allow the guests. By those orders the fairy steps off the balcony and floats down to the front gate. Curious, Sakuya leaves her mistress' side a peers towards the guests. All three she immediately recognizes, but most surprising is the sight of the Lunatic Moon Rabbit and the Brain of the Moon.

Sakuya announces, "It's Reisen Udongein Inaba, Eirin Yagokoro, and the fairy that's always with Cirno."

"Daiyousei," Remilia corrects her.

"Oh that's right. Do you wish to greet them yourself?"

"No, that's unnecessary. You go down there and lead them to Patchy. There's an uninvited that I must see to."

"By your command."

Sakuya curtsies and heads inside. Now by herself, Remilia waits till the three polite guests enter the mansion before she sets her sights on the sky. Nearby is a parasol, but the vampire elects to leave it behind. Stepping into the sunlight a crackling sound is immediately heard and faint smoke arises from her exposed skin. Doing this kind of thing in the middle of the day wasn't the greatest of ideas, but due to the situation the vampire thought this action imperative.

Sparks of magical energy emanate from her hand and begin to form. A crimson glow shines from her palm and the lights converge. In a flash the gathered power shoots from her grip and creates a spear. Crackling from the magical energy from which it's made, this weapon is notorious to all whose seen it. The small vampire sets her sight on a singular point in this noon sky. In an action that couldn't be mistaken she readies herself and throws. Nothing seems to happen and the spear disappears into the distance. Regardless, the small vampire readies another.

"I know you're there, gap demon!" she yells.

"My my," a voice originates from an nowhere. "That's a dangerous thing you're flinging around there. You should be careful with that or you might hurt someone."

"The only one I'm going to hurt is you. Now show yourself!"

A tear opens in the sky and a buxom blond-haired woman emerges. Using the tear as a platform, she sits while suspended in air. Her long purple dress hangs from her legs, bound by gravity even if the woman isn't. A parasol is held in her grip as she rests in it's shade.

"What a temper you have there. Isn't that a tad too drastic for a mere uninvited guest? From what I hear you entertain uninvited guests all the time. Why do you show _me_ such hostility?"

"Those whom I allow into my home all have relations or business with it's occupants. Yukari Yakumo, you have neither."

Yukari twirls her parasol whimsically.

"That may be, but the most interesting things are going on today. And as it so happens, for a change, something interesting is happening here."

Remilia points her second spear at the suspended woman, "My Scarlet Devil Mansion is on an island in the middle of the lake. While I may welcome nearly all visitors I value my privacy and the privacy of my residents. Your voyeurism is something I will not allow!"

For a moment Yukari stops twirling her parasol, but then resumes after giggling, "When you put it like that you make it sound so ecchi. I never knew you had such a dirty mind. Your child-like body really doesn't reflect your adult imagination."

Unperturbed by the insult, Remilia's spear doesn't waver, "This is your last chance to avoid a fight."

Laughing, "Are you serious? A vampire threatens _me_ in the middle of the day?"

Defiant, "I thought it would make a good handicap. Besides, aren't you _also_ weakened at this moment?"

Whatever joviality appeared in Yukari's expression vanishes in an instant.

"I can see it in your eyes, your expression, and your countenance. You've been weakening for a while now and you know not why. Frantically you've been searching throughout Gensokyo for the cause but have found nothing. Now you've come to my doorstep. Whether or not I harbor something so terrible that it can threaten the almighty gap-youkai is a treasure I'd rather keep. If you wish entrance into my Scarlet Devil Mansion it will have to be through me!"

A few moments ensue in silence, then Yukari lowers her parasol into the tear where it effectively vanishes.

"Do you honestly think you can beat me?" the one Remilia called 'Almighty' threatens.

"Maybe, maybe not, but only a fool tramples into the manor of a vampire. Even if you manage to fell me, I don't imagine you could do the same to my guard, my maid, and my sister."

There is no response from Yukari.

"You especially fear that last one, don't you? Flandre's specialty is breaking things. Even if she too is a vampire and it's the middle of the day, you fear she'll break that little boundary in which you hide yourself. Even if you win in the end she'll have caused so much damage you'll wish you never challenged us."

Yukari has since stood on her feet, only her gap separating herself with gravity.

"I'm fine with things turning out either way," Remilia challenges, "but are you? It's your move."

The second opinion

"I won't do it," the purple-haired, pajamas wearing librarian refuses. "Why should I go out of my way to help some fairy?"

The girl in question sits at a desk, in little more than her bed coverings, with a mountain of books stacked nearby. If she's busy with something that needs her immediate attention, it isn't something that could be seen by the other three.

Eirin can't say she's surprised, but it is a little disappointing. For someone who loves books as much as this librarian, the doctor thought for sure she'd be interested in a mystery. Eirin guesses intellectual curiosity isn't universal.

"Please Miss Patchouli," Daiyousei pleads. "Cirno's really sick and you might be the only one who can help her!"

"There are other magicians you can ask," Patchouli immediately refutes. "I'd recommend the Margatroid, but Marissa would also suffice."

"I believe her to be of a similar build to your familiar," Eirin points out, staring at the tall redhead with bat wings extending from her head just above her ears. "Your Koakuma is a being with strong magic constructed into her body. I felt something very similar when I was examining the ice fairy."

"Is that supposed to make me an expert in this field or something?"

"No," and Eirin greatly emphasizes this next part, "that would be _me_, but your opinion would be highly valued, but if you insist I'll find myself someone a bit more cooperative."

"I think you should do it Patchy," came a new voice into the discussion.

Everyone turns to see the eternally young maiden vampire; a pale girl with light blue hair and bright red eyes. The silver haired head maid is shortly in tow. Daiyousei recognizes the vampire and cautiously retreats behind Reisen's skirt.

"You get so enamored with your books that I'm afraid you'll be sucked into one. A change of pace is nice every once and a while."

"I'm perfectly fine with how I am," Patchouli affirms, "so why would I want a change?"

"Then consider it me asking you a favor."

A silent stare-off ensues, but it's completely clear who will be the one to back down. Patchouli is more than a little irritated and Remilia is unabashedly unaffected. The manor's mistress carries with her not an air of absolute authority, but of dictatorship. She's less a king but more a spoiled princess, and either of whom would always get their way. Things were going to go her way this time too, and there wasn't anything about it that could be done.

"Fine," Patchouli surrenders, knowing it can end no other way.

The fairy with hair the color of grass peeks from behind the moon rabbit's shadow. Barely could she believe who came to her defense. Of all people, the vampire whose home she's personally invaded along with very sick person she was hoping to save? If she hadn't seen it herself Daiyousei would have thought it completely unbelievable.

Stepping out to where she can properly face Remilia, Daiyousei says, "Thank you," and gives a very endearing bow.

"Aren't you the most darling thing," the vampire compliments the fairy. Turning to the head maid, "Why don't we have any fairies like her?"

Comparing Daiyousei to the others in her employ, the greater-fairy was taller by at least a full head. Also was she taller than the mistress herself.

Sakuya responds by saying, "If Miss Daiyousei is seeking employment I would gladly take her as my subordinate, but that is her choice."

In rapid-fire succession Remilia turns to Daiyousei and pleads, "What do you say Dai-chan? You look like your good at taking care of others! You'd make an excellent maid here at my mansion!"

Was this her goal in accepting the fairy's plead for aid? To curry favor by helping save Cirno, she'd corner Daiyousei into becoming her maid? Certainly it was a devilish plot, but what could Daiyousei do?

"Well," the fairy knew that she was intentionally being put on the spot, "how about this; to repay you for helping Cirno, I'll work here temperamentally."

Clapping her hands, "That's a wonderful idea! Sakuya, prepare a uniform for our new hire, and prepare a room for our new patient."

"Cirno?" Daiyousei shouts in disbelief.

"Why yes. We can't really expect to treat a sick patient in some igloo by the shore of the lake, can we? It'd be best to transport her here where we can closely monitor her condition. Of course we'll also prepare rooms and a workstation for you two as well," Remilia says while turning towards Eirin and Reisen. "That is, if you'll accept my hospitality."

"That's mighty cordial of you," Eirin minds her manners, "but my responsibilities to Eientei cannot allow me to be absent for too long."

Reisen, perhaps out of distrust for the vampire, nods at her master's explanation.

"But my assistant could surely stay."

Reisen nods again, then pauses, then shouts, "What?"

"Oh, it shouldn't be a big deal. I doubt you'll be seeing drastic changes, but we need someone to keep on eye on the girl. And Eientei is too far away in case there's an emergency. Having you stay here to take care of her until I arrive is the best option."

Before Reisen can debate, Remilia cuts in and draws discussions to a close, "And with that, everything is settled. There's a lot of work to be done so lets everybody get moving."

Both Reisen and Daiyousei feel as if they've been caught in some uncontrollable flow, but that's just how it is. Resigning themselves to their respective situations, the two look at each other and offer a friendly shrug. Moments later they're led away by the head maid and some fairies.

"I need to return to Eientei and gather some additional tools," Eirin tells Remilia and Patchouli. "I'll be back before too long. Until then make sure to keep the ice fairy warm."

"Warm?" Patchouli questions. "Isn't that bad for ice fairies?"

"Not in this case. The cold is having an adverse effect on her health. Her body temperature is rising to combat her condition. Normally a body release a flux of white blood cells to fight illness, but her body is made up of water, so she has nothing to fight with if something goes wrong. On the flip side that should drastically limit what could affect her, so it's safe to assume her current standings is far from normal. Her temperature is basically the only thing she can effect to battle an illness, so if that's rising I want to promote it's growth. Or at least that's the theory. If you have a better idea then let me know."

Patchouli things about it for a second then shakes her head, "No, I think you're right. I won't know anything until I get a look at her myself."

"If you think there's anything else we can do, don't wait for me to return and go ahead. I have to leave now, so I'll be back."

And with that, Eirin leaves as well. Now the only two in the library are Patchouli and Remilia, and the familiar Koakuma who seems busy with organizing books.

"Now do you want to tell me why you've insisted on this charity?" the bookworm asks her landlord and friend.

"I can't ever fool Patchy, can I?" her tone has drastically changed from that overtly friendly attitude with Daiyousei. "That gap-youkai was interested in what was going on, so I'm going to take it for myself."

For a moment Patchy's too stunned to speak.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"You're making me go through all this trouble because you want to irritate one of the strongest youkai in Gensokyo?"

"If that gap-youkai wants something, then doesn't it make sense to keep her away from it?"

Patchouli's hands ball up into fist and she raises them as if she's about to pull out her hair, but she somehow restrains herself, "I can't believe I let you talk me into-"

"The foundations of fate have begun to quake," Remilia mutters in a low tone. "The barrier around Gensokyo is weakening. It's like they's something trapped inside that wants to escape into the outside world. That cannot be allowed to happen."

Realizing the seriousness of her friend's tone, Patchouli knows better than to question the vampire's motives any longer, "And what happens if it does?"

"Very bad things."

"And this has something to do with a sick little ice fairy?"

"If Cirno isn't the cause, then she's an effect. Whatever the case, she's clearly deeply involved. This case is going to need far more than the best doctor in Gensokyo, but the vast wealth of information stored in this library. You are absolutely instrumental in solving it, my friend."

Nodding, "I'll do what I can."

"Please do."

On the way back

While she was leaving the Scarlet Devil Mansion, Eirin ran into Reisen. Before they parted, she made sure to give her assistant a warning,

"Keep your wits about you, that vampire is planning something."

It was vague, but if the doctor could articulate it any better she would. Honestly, all she could think of Remilia's actions were bizarre. That act of charity didn't fool the wise elder-youkai for a moment. Something was fishy. While her true motives remained unclear, at the very least the vampire didn't see the Lunarian and moon rabbit as a threat. Sticking as close to the situation as possible was the most important thing, and while she could remain to do that, everything else was incidental. Still, how could one sick fairy draw the curiosity of a vampire? Good tides aren't brooding.

Gathering additional tools was merely an excuse; other things demanded her attention just as much as the current case, something she'd noticed far before Cirno's condition came to her attention. While she was out she might as well visit another friend and share some information.

But first,

"I know you're there," Eirin suddenly says when she's a safe distance away from Misty Lake. "Come out already."

"I was wondering how much longer you'd allow me to track you," the voice is deep and authoritative, something that clearly isn't human. "Frankly, I was starting to get bored."

Revealing itself from a shadow that seemed too small to conceal it but somehow did, a wolf who's fur appears aflame approaches.

"You've been following us since we left Eientei. What do you want?"

"Incorrect young one," the wolf dare accuses, but then again it might have been flattery. "I've been following you ever since you left your room in Eientei."

Hearing about the creature's infiltration causes the Lunarian to go into high alert. She's grossly underestimated the threat this canine posses. In an instant a bow and arrow materializes from her hastily gathered magical energy. Her aim is clear.

"What do you want?" she asks again.

Seeing the danger that's now poised to him, the wolf snorts, "I must say I'm disappointed by your carelessness. First you intoxicate all of your guards, allow all others with at least half their senses to be carried off by the immortal, then remove the two most powerful who remained to help some sick little fairy. Security in your mansion was so pathetic I could have sneaked in while howling like some feral. I'd wager my comrades are feasting on your inebriated lunar princess right about now."

Realizing that Eientei is completely unguarded and the folly she's made, Eirin disregards her weapons and the foe before her. If she doesn't return right this instant-

"Just kidding," the wolf adds with a chuckle. "If I wished to devour your little hamlet I'd already done so, instead of following you and allowing myself to be detected."

Eirin didn't think this was funny at all, "Your jokes are rather distasteful."

"My apologies. I merely wished to make you realize the severity of your misjudgment."

"Aren't you so kind?"

"I have no taste for unnecessary struggles, so I choose to settle my accounts through words. Would you not also prefer the same?"

"If it's at all possible, but quit beating around the bush. What you really mean to say is that you want to ask me something. Am I wrong?"

"You are not wrong. Yes, there is something I wish to ask of you, but please remember this; my scenario may have been fiction, but it was within the realm of possibility. It was my choice to keep these proceedings cordial. I could have just as easily eaten everything in that house of yours until I ate someone who knew the answer I seek."

"That _really_ makes me want to help you."

"But then I realized that what we seek might be one in the same."

Eirin didn't believe him for a moment, "What thinks I could possibly want the same thing as a flee-ridden mongrel like you?"

Her insults don't seem to affect him in the least, "Actually, I'm not entirely certain either, thus I'm asking instead of demanding. Frankly, your situation confuses me."

This round and round was getting tiring, "Just tell me what you want already."

"Very well. I ask of you, are you or are you not of the moon?"

That was a silly question, just about everyone in Gensokyo knew the answer to that, but that in itself was telling, this wolf was new to Gensokyo.

"I am a Lunarian."

"I see. I thought as much but I wasn't certain. If you are of the moon, then why are you here on mid-" he stops himself as if catching a slip of the tongue, "Earth?"

Once again, this was a silly question as it was common knowledge, "We've been exiled from the moon. Where are these questions going?"

"I see, so you are exiles," the wolf ignores her question. "I smelled three of the moon in that estate; the tall rabbit, the woman draped in royal garb, and you. One would assume the princess would be the heir to the moon, but the smell of linage is strongest on you. Why?"

This was a lesser known fact, but he still could have learned this on his own, so why not just tell him, "I help found the great lunar city."

"I see!" somehow this answer excites him. "So in terms of hierarchy, you are practically the Queen of the Moon!"

This was making less sense by the moment, "No, I'm not. Lord Tsukuyomi has a wife and-"

"Such a wench means nothing to me! The truly important one is you!"

Frustrated, "Let's get this over with! What do you really want to know?"

The wolf snickers again, "But you see, you've already splendidly answered all of my questions."

Was that even possible? Nothing he's asked was even that great of a secret. Had he asked around Gensokyo he would've came to these solution eventually. Or was it because it came from her own mouth that carried some special meaning?

"What are you after?" though he hadn't answered any of her questions as of yet, she might as well give it a shot.

"Remember this, Grand Mistress of the Moon: in your time of greatest peril, you shall call this Hati Hróðvitnisson your ally! And mark my words, that time shall soon come!"

Those are his words of parting. With a child-like hop, skip, and jump, he turns in the opposite direction and scampers off. In a few short moments it's like he was never even there.

Eirin is left in a state of disturbed confusion. That encounter made absolutely no sense and seemed completely irrelevant, but the ancient Lunarian knew better. What happened just now wasn't something that should be forgotten. Even if it's lost to the dark recesses of her memory, she shouldn't forgot this Hati or the words he's spoken. Same with the sickly Cirno. Very odd things were happening in Gensokyo, and that was saying a lot.

Regardless, there were important matters to which she must attend, so standing around dumbfounded is counter-productive. It's about time she met with someone who could at least give her a few answers.

* * *

_And with that, we reach the conclusion of Act 1. Hope you're enjoying everything so far. Act 2 will take the focus away from Daiyousei's journey and instead look to the rest of Gensokyo. I don't want to spoil it too much, but it will draw a road map for what's to come, so they're not as much action as in the first._

_Other than that I can't think of anything else I wish to share.  
_

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	7. Act 2 Race to the Truth

Act 2

Race to the Truth

Elsewhere in Gensokyo

Two blond-haired girls sit by a window and peer outside. One with it cropped short and adorned in blue and white, while the other grew it somewhat long and was dressed in black and white. There was a large hat that matched the later sitting on a chair nearby, as well as a broom.

"They're really going wild out there, aren't they ze?" commented the one dressed like a witch.

"That they are," the other affirms. "But I have to say," she turns around and faces inside, "I think the ones really going wild are in here."

Sharing the house with these two are three rather particular fairies. All unique in their own right, they are more distinguishable by their hair. The blonde is in curls, the orange is unruly and in pig tails, and the black has hers long and kempt. At the moment those three are running around like children while playing with dolls that seem to be playing back. The chaos outside doesn't seem to match the chaos inside.

"There's no helping it, ze," as the witch says this, something dark and rather menacing darts passed the window, "with the monsters acting like this little fairies like them will be quickly gobbled up."

"The three mischievous fairies I can understand. They're weak and can't defend themselves from something like that. _You_ on the other hand I can't, Marisa!"

The magician, Marisa Kirisame, scratches the back of her head and laughs, "Well, you see, those monsters you see out there," a monsters yells at another, breathes fire, then gives chase, "are now rampaging around inside my shop."

"How can they be running around inside your house?" the other yells. "Don't you have wards all around your perimeter?"

"You see, the thing is, I kinda forgot to renew them."

The blue and white's head nearly blows off in anger. She explains, "You're supposed to charge them at least once a month! When was the last time you did?"

Looking the other way, Marisa recalls, "Maybe, a year or two ago?"

"Marisa!" and shortly after she yells, there's a knock at the door. "Someone's here?"

In the carnage that was happening right outside her door, it was clearly odd that someone would dare come and visit. Then again it could have been another freeloader.

"With my luck it's probably Rinnosuke whining that he's scared to be alone." Getting up from her seat, "Coming!"

As she heads to the door two dolls remove themselves from the fairies and join their master's side. Both are blonde and dressed in dark purple dresses, though one seems more menacing than the other.

"Yes?" the girl asks when the three answer the door.

"Hello Alice," Eirin greets calmly like there's absolutely nothing wrong with the monster war being waged behind her, "may I come in?"

Certainly an unexpected visitor. If the doctor from Eientei was giving her a house call, she better well answer.

"Yes. Come in."

As soon as the woman enters she takes notice of the other guests, "Oh, I didn't realize you were having a party."

Marisa, lounging on the couch, gives a relaxed wave as if this were her house too, "Yo Eirin, what's up?"

Eirin's eyes move from the freeloader to the trio of fairies, "I could ask you all the same thing, but I think I already know the answer."

"As you can see," says Alice Margatroid, true owner of this house, "we are having a little bit of a monster invasion."

"I can tell, and it seems the same is happening all over Gensokyo."

"Really?" somehow this excites Marisa. "This almost sounds like an incident, ze!"

"I wouldn't know."

"Well anyway," Alice tries to cut off the banter before it goes any further, "may I ask what has brought forth this visit? _You_," making a jab at Marisa, "are not exactly the type to run from house-to-house to see whom you can sponge off of."

"Seeing that the Forest of Magic is home to some of the most dangerous creatures, I thought I'd come down here and ask one of it's residents if they'd notice anything strange lately, but it seems I already have my answer."

"So you came down here yourself to ask that?" Marisa can only butt in on others conversations. "Color me impressed, ze! I thought you'd at least send your pet Reisen. Are you trying to muscle in on the youkai extermination business too?"

Shaking her head, "Not exactly. Lately some rather unfriendly critters have been wandering into the bamboo forest."

"Why would they want to go there? That place is as spooky as a graveyard, ze."

"My thoughts exactly. I was working on some scent traps that should lead them away from Eientei, but it seemed that experiment worked too well. I also wanted to ask about some tips to keep them away."

Alice brings a hand to her chin, her two dolls do the same, "I see. Since the Bamboo Forest of the Lost already provides such natural protection to Eientei, there's not much in means of active guards."

"Right. Entire armies can be thwarted just by the natural complexities of navigating that forest, but a monster with no particular goal in mind can wander right through the front gates by coincidence." Not to mention that incident with the wolf, Hati.

"I see." Alice heads into an office-like room with many books. "I can teach you some simple spells that you can pass on to some of your rabbits, but if you want something really strong I suggest you ask the Hakurei Priestess."

"I would have gone to her, but she would have charged me," this gets a good laugh from Marisa. "But I really do have some business with you, Alice." Then, as if remembering, she turns to the freeloader, "Actually, you can help too Marisa."

"What? Really?"

"Yes. You see, I have this patient," and she explains.

After hearing the story, Marisa is first to comment, "Really? Cirno got sick?"

"Ha!" shouts the orange-haired fairy. "Serves stupid-Cirno right!"

Upon hearing the name of their brethren mentioned, the three fairies too took interest in the story. The expressions were mixed amongst their faces.

Eirin continues, "I was wondering if there's any connection between the two that you can think of?"

"Well," Alice ponders aloud, "I would almost think there's something in the air affecting lesser monsters," then she turns to the fairies, "but they don't seem to be affected at all. Anything weird with you three?"

All three shake their heads "no," but the one who seemed to be the leader had to add, "Well, if it's some kind of curse or something, of course it would affect all the _weaker_ youkai. Naturally that's why we are fine and she is sick!"

The other two fairies and Marisa give her a questing stare. Eirin and Alice, who doesn't seem to be having the same thoughts as the others, simply continue.

"I guess," says the doctor, "but I can't help but think the two are related: that if we get to the bottom of one we'll get to the bottom of the other."

"Sorry we couldn't be of more help," Alice apologizes. "Though if I were to recommend someone for treating Cirno, it'd be Patchouli. Although, there is also the white witch of Makai, but that would probably be more trouble than it's worth."

Being handed notes for the protection spell by Alice, Eirin folds it neatly and places it in her pocket, "Well, thank you for your time. I must get back before that vampire decides to have my assistant washing laundry or something."

Shortly after Eirin leaves Marisa gathers her hat and broom.

"You're leaving too?" Alice questions.

"Yeah."

"Is a sick little fairy really that interesting to you?"

For a moment Marisa pauses, then turns to face her friend with her normal carefree expression, "Naw, not really, ze. I thought it was just about time to do some spring cleaning back at home."

Alice, who'd thought for sure she'd read the black magician's intentions, was a bit taken back. Though unpredictable erratic behavior was indeed Marisa's trademark.

"I see. Do you need a hand then?" As she said this, one of the dolls produced a miniature lance, and the other a shaving razor.

She waves her off like shooing a fly, "Naw naw, that's okay. Some things ya just gotta take care of yourself."

"I see then. Take care."

"You worry so much, you're just like a wife."

At the sound of this, Alice's face goes bright red and flushed with anger, "And don't you come back!"

As she hear the door slam behind her, Marisa sighs. Maybe she went just a bit too far, but she needed to distract Alice so she wouldn't uncover her true motives. The black magician didn't exactly lie, but neither was she completely honest. Indeed she was going to clear her home of beasts and monsters, but as to why it was a different matter.

Honestly she didn't care if her home got a little thrashed, she's there so little that it wouldn't make much of a difference, and if worse came to worse she had more than a dozen place where she could bunk. What really mattered were some of her most prized and valuable collections, all of which were protected by wards so strong that if some monster just happened to wander into her hidden space, they'd be vaporized within an instant. So many times has she "borrowed" from Alice's and Patchouli's respective libraries, that she knew how to hide her most important items, and how to protect them.

While her precious collection might be safe, it was important that she retrieve one particular item right now, but before she can do that she has to end her infestation.

Marisa takes her broom between her legs and soars into the air, far too fast for the monsters surrounding Alice's home to even notice her.

And finally the end of the day

A cold coffin sits alone. Not something old and traditional, ornately decorated, nor crafted by hand, but something dark, mass-produced, and made of steel. If this had been outside of Gensokyo it would have been identified as "modern," but the recipient of such a gift wouldn't know better either way. Then again, the recipient doesn't know anything due to the requirements of receiving such a reward. A coffin is made for one reason and one reason alone, to hold an occupant, and that occupant has one and one reason to be placed inside. They are dead. Inside this particular coffin someone sleeps their final night. Unending, never waking, forever unto eternity.

Without reason the lid opens, and the one inside is...

"M-m-m-m-miss Remilia," a nervous voices cuts through the air. "I-i-i-i-it's time to wake up."

Sleeping so comfortably in her large bed, the youthful appearing vampire gradually opens her eyes to the sound of a voice. However, it's a voice that isn't too familiar and the girl is a little surprised. When her vision focuses she's not welcomed by the silver-haired maiden who was her personal maid, but the green-haired fairy who was newly hired, dressed in the uniform of all the other fairy maids. However, there was a clear difference when the standard attire was dawned by this fairy. Not only was she tall (for a fairy), but she was also well-endowed (for a fairy). There was a seductiveness that slightly irritated the petite vampire.

Very rarely had Sakuya not waken her mistress herself. Something was up.

Sitting up from her sleep, Remilia looks around scanning for her familiar maid.

"U-u-um," Daiyousei stutters again, "Good morning?"

Her eyes keep darting from her charge to something behind her. To her rear is naught but empty space and the door, which is slightly cracked open. So that must be it; Sakuya is outside monitoring the newbie. Now the question remains why she'd send someone only hired yesterday with one of the most important tasks. Now that Remilia thought about it, she thinks she understands.

"Oh right!" Daiyousei suddenly remembers. "The tea!"

The vampire mistress likes to start every morning with a cup of tea. Since she's been awake now for almost a whole minute without it, this is the main reason for her rising irritation.

As the novice nervously pours the tea, Remilia extrapolates what must have been the head maid's thoughts. Although she seemed readily agreeable yesterday, Sakuya actually opposed to the idea of bringing in Cirno and Daiyousei when they were in private. Seeing how Remilia rushed the proceedings the maid didn't have the opportunity to interject whilst not in front of a crowd. As to the idea of temporarily hiring Daiyousei as a maid, at all costs the Scarlet Devil wanted Cirno in her possession, but if her caretaker got too suspicious she'd likely withdraw. So Remilia devised a simple plan of misdirection; she made the fairy think that the real prize was her and not her sick friend. She wanted Daiyousei to think, "Because I want you, I'll take care of your sick friend," when the truth was exactly the opposite.

Honestly, the vampire couldn't care less about the addition of an extra maid, and thought at most Sakuya would have her doing menial chores. Sakuya must have seen though this, so she stages her disapproval by this act of indirect rebellion, having the fairy maid do some of the most important work there is: taking care of Remilia. She could imagine Sakuya telling Daiyousei, "My mistress has really taken a liking to you. Why don't you become her personal attendant?" That pesky maid!

"Here you go," Daiyousei hands the saucer and cup to the vampire, trembling ever slightly.

Without saying a word she accepts the tea and drinks. Well, if Sakuya was going to be this way, two can play at that game.

After she swallows, "It doesn't feel like a brand new day unless I have my morning cup of tea," and she delivers one of her brightest smiles. "Thank you Dai-chan."

Upon hearing her name, Daiyousei blushes like a Christmas ornament, "You're welcome!"

Remilia guessed right, Dai-chan loves it when others call her by her name. Actually, that originally wasn't her name. She didn't have one. Like most fairies they are born nameless. In their community they only give those to whom were born with special abilities. For the most part Daiyousei was normal without particularly strong magical powers, but she grew to be rather tall. Since she was so unique in this aspect, everyone started to call her Greater Fairy (_daiyousei_). That name stuck and she was treated with respect by the other fairies. Outside the fairy community, however, she was just another of their kind.

"Um, excuse me," Daiyousei is fidgeting like she's bashful, "I thought I misheard yesterday, but you said it again just now, but how do you know my name?"

There was a simple answer for this, "Because we're neighbors. Many of the fairies I hire are from Misty Lake." Though 'kidnap' might be a better term in some cases, but if they didn't like the work they would've fled by now. "And also, it was kind of amusing watching you and Cirno stumble around my front gate."

Giggling and blushing, Daiyousei seems to have gotten over her nervousness. Now that she's comfortable, she's finally let down her guard. Now Remilia doesn't have to worry about this fairy taking Cirno to someplace else for help. Discretion was becoming less important.

"How is your friend doing this morning?"

Remilia sought no further into the manner after her little chat with Patchouli yesterday, so she has no idea what happened after she retired for the night. Surely Eirin must have returned and the two compared ideas. Seeing as Daiyousei would then be out of the loop, she would probably only hear a brief summery.

Now speaking more comfortably, Dai-chan begins, "There hasn't been much change from last night. They were trying to figure out how Cirno could maintain her body when her temperature was higher than freezing, but they don't understand it yet. From what they could tell there aren't any external factors contributing to her condition, but that's about it. Patchouli told me last night that there was a few things she wanted to study before she would tell me anything more."

Since it was Patchy they were talking about, she likely hasn't slept since that point. Progress must have been made so now would be a good time to ask for a report.

"I see," said Remilia after she thought things through. "Well, let's go see how she is doing. Help me get changed and we'll pay her a visit."

"Ah!" Daiyousei shouts in surprise, once again peeking behind her for any signs of movement. Eventually she says, "Shouldn't we have Sakuya do that?"

"Nonsense," she overemphasizes, done so that anyone eavesdropping could clearly hear. "You were put in charge of me this morning, so _you_ have to properly take care of me. Come now, help me out of my nightwear."

Hesitantly, Daiyousei does as she's commanded. Remilia could feel Sakuya's plan backfiring even from behind that distant and large door.

Nearly an hour later they head to the library after checking in with Reisen and Cirno. The ice fairy is still in her state of constant struggle, completely unresponsive to any of her surrounding environment. As far as the fairy knows she's still at home. Leaving this tragic sight they meet Patchouli in the library.

"We have a basic understanding of Cirno's biology."

Patchouli's voice is tired and eyes bloodshot. Much work had been put into her findings. Daiyousei couldn't help but worry about her for that. However, Remilia assures her that Patchy's that way most of the time; putting very little thought into her own health. Eventually she continues.

"Her body's comprised of 100% water. That in and of itself shouldn't be surprising, but she contains absolutely no impurities, it's 100% _pure_ water."

Neither Daiyousei nor Remilia saw the significance in that.

"See, no mater where you get it from, there's at least some impurities in the water we drink. Maybe minerals carried with it from rocks in a stream, dirt or something similar that might have simply fallen in, or animal feces, all water has something in it that contaminates it just a little bit. Now, removing those impurities is impossible through conventional means, and extremely difficult through alchemy. Somehow her body cleanses the water that constructs her effortlessly. To test my theory Eirin and I fed her a saline drip intravenously and tested her composition immediately afterwords. She completely absorbed the water, but the salt had somehow disappeared. Either she converted it to magical energy, or she excreted the waste through some means we can't yet understand or measure."

The other two still had trouble following.

"Okay," Remilia sounds a little irritated, "I understand that her body is pretty incredible, but where does that leave us with her condition?"

Patchouli removes her cap, scratches her head, and puts it back on, "That's the thing, if this is how her body is when she's sick, then there couldn't be anything wrong with her. The water contained in her body is still 100% pure, so if there's nothing contaminating her she cannot be sick. Being sick and being her current level of health are contradictory, so it's false to say 'Cirno is sick.'"

Daiyousei remembers Eirin said something similar, but now they knew with certainty.

Remilia is frustrated, "Then if she isn't sick, what is she?"

Calmly Patchouli explains without getting upset by her friend's impatience, "The cause for her condition isn't biological, so it must be magical in nature. I believe she might have been put under a curse."

"Curse?" Daiyousei can't contain her concern.

"Yes. I'm told it's something you've witnessed yourself, correct? The monsters that have been running amok."

Gasping, the fairy tries to cover her shock with her mouth, "You mean all the creatures that have been behaving strangely?"

The intellectual nods, "Yes. It's happening all over Gensokyo. It's hard to believe that whatever is effecting those creatures isn't also affecting Cirno. To be unrelated is too big a coincidence."

For Remilia, this was the first time hearing this, "All the monsters are going crazy?"

"Yes," Daiyousei recalls her own experiences, "monsters have been leaving their territories, nocturnal creatures have been going out during the day, and even those weakened by the sun have been picking fights when they are at a huge disadvantage." For some reason, Remilia clears her throat. "It's unnatural even for Gensokyo. It's almost like they're all becoming scared and desperate."

Patchouli takes over, "Eirin suggested that it might have started with all the weaker monsters and is gradually working it's way up. Before long even the mid-level youkai could become affected, and after that who knows."

Very troubling was this news indeed. Remilia backs away and paces around in a circle.

"So Cirno is a victim?"

"It seems that way."

On the verge of tears, Daiyousei nearly screams, "So what's going to happen to her?"

"If it progresses to it's worst state, she might turn feral and begin attacking people indiscriminately, but we don't even understand what's happening to the monsters so even that's hard to say. Until we understand what's happening to them we may not know what to expect from Cirno."

Tears overpower her and Daiyousei begins to cry, "Why Cirno?"

Even someone as reclusive as Patchouli can't help be affected by the fairy's frail emotional state. Looking away she says, "I don't know."

Before this scene can become any more heart-wrenching, Remilia claps her hands loudly, drawing all eyes towards her, "But that's why your working so hard, isn't it Patchy? To try and discover what foul curse is effecting Gensokyo on such a large scale?"

Of course that was obvious, but Patchouli realizes her friend said this to try and ease Daiyousei's worries. She can't help but smile, "Exactly. Something this powerful would be very difficult to hide. I don't think it will be a long matter of time before we start to find some clues. Anything this large can't help but make it's presence known."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," another presence suddenly appears, slightly startling only the fairy, "but breakfast is ready."

Remilia nods, "Excellent timing Sakuya. I say it's time we all take a break and give nourishment to our bodies."

And with that, they all leave the library.


	8. What Couldn't be Known

What couldn't be known

As light from the rising sun shifts with the passage of time, a sliver of the beam uncovers the body of a black and white clad magician, shining right atop her right eye.

"Who-and-where-and-what!" she awakes with a startle.

Marisa catches her head as if she were a drunk who'd tried to stand up too fast. Nearly as bad as a hangover, waking too soon after being completely exhausted wasn't too kind to one's head and weary muscles. Also, like a hangover, it is sometimes accompanied by memory loss.

"Where am I?" she mumbles.

Scratching her belly she looks around. It's clearly a house, but it's littered with trash and damage from what looks to have been a brawl. More than a home it's more like she woke up on a battlefield.

"That's right!" she drops a fist on the palm of her other hand as she remembers. "Last night I 'youkai exterminated' my own house. No wonder it's so trashed, ze."

As if she could forget, last night she forcibly removed all the monsters and youkai that had resided themselves in her home. It wasn't until the very late hours of the night that she finished and renewed the wards bordering her property. After that she promptly fell asleep in the middle of the floor.

"But why did I go through all that trouble?"

It seems she also forgot why she decided to make work for herself by cleansing the weeds from her house. Crashing at Alice's and waiting for this incident to blow over seemed the more comfy option.

Recalling the events of yesterday in her head, "Let's see, I was at Alice's, the fairies were there. Then," a long pause, "oh, right! Eirin came over. She said something about monsters going wild in the bamboo forest. What else?" More pause. Even more pause.

Like a flash of light she remembers. At the moment of her recollection she also realizes why it was so important that she return home and clear the intruders with utmost haste. In her private and secure collection there lies a book not with the solution to this incident, but very important clues.

Wasting no more time she rushes to her feet, pauses a moment to let her headache subside, then heads towards her personal library. Though "library" may be an insult when compared to the grand hall of the Scarlet Devil Mansion and Alice's collection, merely was it a single shelf with more books littering the floor than placed in any organized manner. Still, it has it's treasures.

Unfortunately what she wanted wasn't in her bookcase. Instead she goes to one end and pushes with all her might. After moving the heavy shelf maybe a meter, all that's revealed is more wall. Staring at an empty space she mutters an incantation. Waving her hand over a certain spot, that piece of wall ripples and dissolves like a reflection off water. In that space is a cleverly constructed cubbyhole. Containing relics of unimaginable power, these were items too dangerous for her to use herself, but too valuable to leave right in the open. But even with the illusion dispelled it still wasn't safe to reach inside. Another spell she recites.

Even though nothing seems to have happened, she just removed her final security measure. Had she tried to take the contents without doing this first, a condensed version of her signature spell, the "Master Spark," would have taken her head clean off. However, even if a thief was powerful enough to survive that blast, the contents of her secret space would have been destroyed. This was her ultimate security measure; mutually assured destruction. If you didn't lose your life you definitely lost your prize. Any rank amateur could recognize the traps that were laid, but thwarting them was another measure entirely. She doubt even Reimu or Yukari could snatch her treasures before something was destroyed.

That aside, her aim was the singular book that's encased inside. Pulling it out the title simply reads, "The Grimoire of Marisa." Sure enough, the author was Marisa Kirisame. To not give her so much discredit, had she the memory to remember the contents of the book she wrote she wouldn't have written it in the first place.

Taking the piece of literature with her she found a chair that somehow escaped damage and took a seat. After checking the index she quickly cycles through the pages. This was what she was looking for:

_Cirno's spell cards_

_Freeze sign "Perfect Freeze"_

_User: Cirno_

_Notes: Seen often, theatrical type_

_Temperature: _

_Every bullet is frozen at the same instant in this unexpectedly amazing spell card._

_After being frozen, the ice seems like it starts to slip at random as it thaws, and is distributed around the area. After it thaws, no one can guess where it will go next. Not even Cirno._

_In other words, whether this danmaku is difficult or easy, it depends solely on the ice. It's so amazing, I can't use it._

That's right, Marisa tried time and again to mimic this spell, but no mater how hard she tried she couldn't produce a cold that could freeze even magic. Strategically speaking, it's even more useful than Sakuya's ability to stop time. If handled ruthlessly it could make the little ice fairy a devastating force. But even then, there was more.

_Freeze sign "Minus K"_

_User: Cirno_

_Notes: Occasionally seen above the lake_

_Temperature: Impossible to measure._

_Danmaku is suddenly chilled so that the difference in density of the bullets causes them to crack as a result of this explosive spell card._

_Making the biggest attack from the smallest danmaku is certainly a considerable feat._

_However, until they explode, the density of the bullets is low, and one won't get hit if they are close to the user. Well, she's only a fairy, after all. If she's just think to shoot a few more bullets and balance the density better, I think it'd become stronger, but..._

_Maybe someone should teach her how to count._

K, Kelvin. Zero degrees Kelvin is the coldest temperature possible. Cold doesn't exist the same as heat, or to put it more simply, cold is merely an absence of heat. Zero Kelvin means that no heat exists, all thermal motion ceases. To somehow drop it even lower than that is theoretically impossible. Beyond that it's something that should not exist. Though it may not be convincing to say, considering the existence and very nature of magic, but this spell breaks laws of the natural and unnatural order of the universe.

Closing the book, Marisa places it on the table and leans back in her chair. At a certain angle the chair squeaks. Back and forth she leans producing that sound many times over. If anyone else were present they'd surely be annoyed.

There's a monumental gap between Cirno's capabilities and her personal application. By Marisa's own measure the ice fairy should have power that rivals even gods, and the magician could personally attest to that as she knows a few. However, because of Cirno's childish nature and severe lack of intelligence she can't utilize herself to her fullest or realize her potential.

Actually, that wasn't completely true.

The chair slams when she stops leaning back and instead leans forward. Placing her elbow on her knee and her chin on her fist, she's in a poss identical to "The Thinker." Had the magician known about such pieces of art she could have been called a plagiarist.

There was a soul reason why Marisa even decided to go out of her way to retrieve her book, why it was so important that she look up that singular entry as soon as possible. In the conversation at Alice's, a theory was made about the current state of Gensokyo. Alice hypothesized that this might be the work of a curse or some sort. Undoubtedly one would assume it would start with the lesser creatures and slowly work it's way up, not completely unlike an viral epidemic. However, one of the fairies told an utter fabrication and lie, _"__if it's some kind of curse or something, of course it would affect all the weaker youkai. Naturally that's why we are fine and she is sick!"_ Marisa knew this to be incorrect.

It's a famous story, but it's told as more of a joke than a great achievement. In jest it was called the "Great Fairy War." In reality it was Cirno beating up the very same three fairies that are taking refuge in Alice's home. Most people in Gensokyo think fairy vs fairy and laugh, but those three in combination are particularly worthy adversaries. Then again, they are a number of whom that can best them with their powers combined.

However, there is an even deeper truth that is not know to others. Unsatisfied with her victory over the three, Cirno, in her battle-lust, sought a stronger opponent. She found Marisa.

Marisa considers herself particularly strong. Being able to go toe-to-toe with the Sister of Scarlet, the Closed Eyes of Love, and the Undefined Fantastic Flying Girl, those are accomplishments that aren't easily matched. So when the ice fairy, whom she'd already battled and defeated a number of times, suddenly issued a challenge, of course the accomplished magician wouldn't take the threat seriously. That proved to be a near fatal mistake.

Unlike every battle with Cirno before, Marisa quickly found herself overwhelmed. What could possibly have changed between all those times and this to make a meager fairy so powerful? To this day Marisa still wasn't sure, but if she had to guess she'd say there was a ferocity and motivation in Cirno's eyes that drove her beyond what she'd ever before experienced. To make matters worse it wasn't even that she felt like a different person, but someone focused and determined on victory; something one would never associate with Cirno.

Even after Marisa was forced to take the match seriously, it was incredibly difficult to gain any ground on the fairy. Putting it bluntly, she was still losing. As a final act of desperation, she unleashed an altered version of her strongest move that was meant to put down an entire army of fairies, the "Fairy Destruction Wave." A sustained ultra-wide area of attack spell that should have entrapped even the fastest of youkai. To allow for such massive range and duration, power had to be sacrificed, but it wasn't exactly designed with a singular opponent in mind. In the end, however, even this wasn't enough to grant her a victory.

Before a decisive blow could be dealt, Cirno suddenly relented. Whilst her opponent lay on the brink of defeat, the fairy claimed to reach the extent of her stamina. What could have been a monumental trophy was abandoned in an instant and the one with the overwhelming advantage departed. Though particularly lucky, at best Marisa could have considered this a draw, but deep down she knew better. Had Cirno pushed even a smidgen further it would have been her complete and total victory. Instead she left as abruptly as she arrived. Marisa in the end couldn't accept the outcome. She herself considered this a total loss.

When it was considered that Cirno had fallen victim to whatever is plaguing the lesser youkai of Gensokyo, Marisa also couldn't accept it. Cirno might be a stupid little ice fairy, but her dormant, barely tapped potential was frightening. If there was a curse strong enough to incapacitate her, Gensokyo would have already been irreparably devastated. Cirno would have been one of the last to fall, not the first. This the magician feels to be true.

Marisa nearly pulls out her hair in frustration. Their theory about some wide scale manipulation is incorrect. If anything is effecting the youkai it can't also be affecting Cirno. They're either unrelated or the very cause of the incident is Cirno herself. But how was Marisa supposed to tell anyone that? Everybody would deny the theory outright. To help them understand she'd also have the share the secret episode which happened after the Great Fairy War, but if she does that her reputation would be ruined! How can she tell anybody that she actually lost to that stupid fairy? What was Marisa to do?

* * *

_Hmmm, these next coming chapters are particularly short, so I'll bump my releases to three times a week temporarily. To be perfectly honest, Act 2 almost felt like intermission chapters. Very little action with a lot of buildup._

_I know my story jumps around a lot and covers many of the Touhou characters, so it's kind of hard to point to the exact to the lead and supporting roles, and even the main cast for that matter. Some of these girls will appear for one and only one chapter, which is why I chose to not even use their names even though you've probably guessed their identities (ie. Sunny Milk, Star Sapphire, and Luna Child). However, if I would choose Daiyousei as the lead, I'd choose Marisa as the Main Supporting Actress, despite her late introduction story-wise. So to those Marisa fans, you'll be seeing a lot more of her so be happy._

_Since I'm already adding a chapter post-face, I might as well address a few concerns I've read in some of the reviews. Firstly, about the character Hati. At times he (yes_ he_, I am adding a male into the world of Gensokyo)__ intentionally speaks in a roundabout way to mislead to whom he's speaking, thus in turn confusing the reader, but rarely does he lie (actually, I don't remember if he ever does). I added that quasi inner-monologue from Eirin telling herself to not forget what he said (*hint*hint*). I know there are a lot of intersecting plots that are happening at the same time, so just try to focus on one and not stress yourself thinking too hard.__ So as not spoil the story, I'll say no more._  


_Also I've heard concern with my fixed release schedule. Not to brag or be self-indulgent, but I take my writing very seriously. I think forcing deadline upon myself adds pressure and that, in turn, adds to the quality of my work. Even if it's just a fanfic I want to hit it with all guns blazing. I started writing LotS and my previous iM(a)STER story as exercises, not recreation. And as it is with physical exercises, if you don't keep at it regularly you'll gradually get weaker. Whether or not that leads to better stories I don't know, but that's just how I roll.  
_

_Well, I've taken up enough space with my rambling, so I'll cut myself off right here. Until next time when I feel I must butt in and disrupt the flow of the story,  
_

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	9. Indefinte Leave

The other side of the boundary

Slouched over the bar, the blonde woman is the very portrait of loneliness and heartbreak. This afternoon others have tried to approach her, but none of them could even obtain a response. The atmosphere that surrounds her doesn't exactly state, "Leave me alone," but she was uncooperative regardless. At a certain point everyone just began to ignore the beautiful distressed woman.

Checking her cellphone for the time, she nearly begins to sob at the result.

"I'm sorry I'm late Yukari!" a brown-haired, brown-eyed woman of maybe 30 yells as she enters the restaurant, drawing the attention of nearly every patron.

The before lifeless woman finally budges from the bar, eyes in tears as she meets the one who addressed her, "Hanako!"

Rising from her seat Yukari rushes her friend and nearly tackles her in a hug. "I thought you had abandoned me!" she accuses while rubbing her tears in the woman's chest.

"Geez, calm down. Others are staring. Just because I had to turn you down last night doesn't mean I'm not your friend anymore. Now let me go so we can sit!"

Reluctantly Yukari does so and resumes her place at the bar.

"Now tell me what got you so worked up that you're still pouty-faced even after a good night's sleep? Guy trouble?"

The tall blond twists around in her seat, fidgeting a little, "It was one of the children."

Hanako nearly falls out of her chair, "Them again? What is wrong with those kids in that group home of yours?"

Sighing, "They wouldn't be there if there _wasn't_ something wrong with them. All of them are troublemakers, but this one can particularly be a problem. It's Remilia."

Hanako puts a finger to her chin, "Remilia? Oh yeah, the one you call a 'little bloodsucker.' Didn't you tell me she usually keeps to herself? What did she do that would put you off so much?"

Moaning, Yukari pauses for a moment as if carefully choosing her words, "There was a flower in the garden that I'd been admiring as of late. Remilia found out, uprooted it, and put it in a pot in her room. And the only reason she did that was because _I_ liked it! Now I can't even see it anymore!"

At that moment a waiter approaches them and asks for their drinks. Hanako orders a simple coffee, but Yukari goes for a beer. It clear to see how this evening is going to proceed.

"Wow, that girl certainly sounds like a brat," Hanako says. "I can't say I understand why she did that, but there's one thing I'm certain of."

"What?"

"You said she put it in a pot, right? Well if she wanted just to spite you, she could have simply trampled the flower. She put it in a pot because she wants to take care of it. Isn't it best that the flower is cared for, even if you don't get to see it?"

Pouting, "But I want to admire it _and_ water it."

Hanako sighs, "Sometime I wonder who the real kid is."

At that moment a bell faintly rings and more customers enter the restaurant.

"You're supposed to be on my side," Yukari play-fights, punching the other in the shoulder.

"Hi," the hostess addresses the new patrons behind them, "how many?"

Yukari continues, "Don't tell me that-"

"Three,"

The voice which cut Yukari's words short is immediately familiar. Turning from her friend she peers with a curious glance towards the girls who just entered. Two of them are of no special note, but the third, a particularly perky teenager of green hair, is someone she knows. Unfortunately it isn't someone she knows from _this_ side, but the _other_ side.

At the moment the blonde woman recognized the girl, the girl herself saw the woman. Immediately her eyes go wide in surprise, and a little bit fright. Her skin is getting paler by the moment.

"Yukari-san?" the one of green hair shouts.

There's an odd back and forth between Hanako and the girl's two friends. None of the outsiders seem to understand what's going on except the pair directly involved.

Suddenly the look in Yukari changes to one with cruel intentions; a creepy smile with narrowed eyes. The girl begins to shake.

"Sanae-chan!" Yukari rises from her seat with slow yet terrible speed. "Imagine running into you here." Swinging her arm around Sanae's shoulder, she drags the girl towards Hanako. The girl's two friends follow with nervous concern. "I never imagined I'd run into you outside of Gensokyo."

Hanako grins, almost completely unconcerned with the scene that's being made nor the youngsters, "Gensokyo, eh? This is one of the girls from your group home?"

"Group home?" Sanae mumbles.

"That's right!" Yukari excitedly explains. "This is Sanae Kochiya, one of the residents of Gensokyo." Facing the girl in her capture, "Sanae, this is my friend from the outside, Hanako Sakuraba."

"Pleasure to meet you," her voice is meek.

"Oh, pleasure to meet you, Sanae. I say, Yukari, she doesn't look like much of a troublemaker."

"Oh no," and now it seems like Yukari is just playing with the girl, "Sanae is a good girl. She just has a problem with some of her relatives. Most of the time she's the perfect little angel, though I can't say I approve of her sneaking outside of Gensokyo."

Catching on to the ruse, Sanae speaks with a slightly less terrified voice, "Yeah, I guess I'm busted. Next time I should properly ask permission."

"Gensokyo Group Home?" in a low tone one of Sanae's friends asks the other.

"I thought she said she was moving in with her grandmother?"

"That isn't exactly false," Yukari diverts her overbearing attention from Sanae to her friends, "but then again we can't exactly speak about Gensokyo with those on the outside. It's a security kind of thing. Let me guess, you are Sanae-san's friends from before she moved away?"

The blonde woman's presence is overwhelming, and even her stare makes the two normal girls feel like they're backed into a corner. One is very hesitant with her response, "Yes."

Even though she's smiling Yukari is no less intimidating, "That's right! It's important to always remember your friends, but it's also important to stay within the boundaries of Gensokyo. Because if you stay too long on the outside, you might not be able to get back in."

While the Youkai of Boundaries was trying to deliver a coded message, she wasn't completely sure that it would be understood by the Moriya Shrine Maiden. Had they not been in the presence of humans of the modern world, she would have explained thoroughly. For now this was the best she could do.

"I'll keep that in mind," Sanae made no indication of understanding.

"Well, I'm sure you don't want to hang out all day with a mature woman like me, so I'll let you get back to your friends, but you better wrap up your business on this side and return to Gensokyo as soon as possible. You might get locked out after the darkness has set."

"I will, thank you."

Releasing the teenager Yukari watches as Sanae rejoins her friends. They try to convince her to go to another place for lunch, but the one-time-student now full-time-shrine-maiden assures them that everything will be fine. They leave the gap-youkai's presence and don't look back.

"You certainly act different when the kids are around," Hanako teases, "don't you?"

Emitting a frail laugh, "I have to be an authority figure after all."

"If they only knew how much you worry about them they might not be so terrified of you."

"Terrified of me?" Yukari sighs.

"Oh yeah. I almost thought we'd have to escort that poor girl and her friends to the bathroom. I think you've got your hard-case teacher act down too well. If you eased up a bit then maybe Remilia would let you take care of the flower as well."

"I'll think about it," she mumbles, now completely reverted to a relaxed attitude while in front of her friend.


	10. To Where They Flee

In a place sunlight never reaches

One clashes against another, a roar echoes through the hallow halls, and the sounds of thousands of combatants overlap each other, deafening those within driving all of them mad. Deep with the crevices within the earth, a place forever hidden from the sun, a war is being waged. As there are no sides, no ideals, nor kingdoms clashing, a riot might be a better word, but it is no less a hell than the deepest from Dante's dark visions. It is in this place that a lone woman must stand guard and prevent every single soul from entering, though perhaps the best word to use here is invade.

While known particularly well for her twisted personality, she has the honorable duty of protecting the bridge that leads from the overworld to the underworld. While her job has driven her to a state of madness herself, she is no less better a guard than from the very first day she started. It is a testament to show how she's managed to keep this carnage from spilling into a world where it doesn't belong.

However, being that she is a soul protector a few advantages seem to be on her side. For one this is a completely disorganized mob with absolutely no leadership backing it's movements, and two, they fight amongst their own ranks as much as they try to push past the bridge. That she can bottleneck such an opponent has made this more a shooting gallery than a war, but she wasn't complaining, for the moment at least.

"There seems to be a lot of commotion coming from these parts," a voice squeaks from behind the woman, so clearly it's a resident of the Ancient City.

"Be glad you get to rest quietly while someone like me is completely capable of handling this situation," she moans while throwing out flower shaped mines that will explode on contact. "I wish I had someone protecting me."

"Yes, I already know that."

Tensing at the dull rhythm of that monotonous voice, only one person could possibly sound that drab even in this chaotic situation.

"Mistress Satori," the woman calls the pale girl with purple hair, her floating red "third eye" focused squarely on the guardian, "that you'd be so unoccupied that you could come to visit me makes me jealous. Unfortunately I don't have your kind of leisure and can't waste my effort speaking with you, but then again you don't even need to listen to hear, do you?"

"You know very well that I can read your thoughts and emotions, Parsee, so you don't need to divide yourself with carrying on a conversation with me. I will merely share my thoughts aloud so you can hear."

Since Satori can read minds she also knew what rude comments Parsee was about to make, but at least she figured she'd spare the effort and just think what she wanted instead of repeating herself.

"For a few days now these youkai have been coming in droves to the underworld," Satori announces. "You've been fighting them off but don't know why they keep coming, and their numbers are increasing exponentially. These lesser beasts lack intelligent thought, but possess keen instinct. Great fear pushes this migration. All of them are trying to escape the surface world because of some great catastrophe they believe to be coming."

Not that Parsee particularly cared for the motives of other people, but this constant struggle was tiring.

"Do you know what this 'great catastrophe' is?"

"No I do not, as they do not. While I might not know the specifics of what they fear, I know the outcome of that fear."

"What?"

"To put it so the intelligent can understand, I would call it Armageddon, the end of the world."

So the world was ending and they all are fleeing towards the underground?

"Their instincts drive them off the surface, so I think the end will only effect the surface world, but I cannot be sure. This is indeed most troublesome."

To calmly speak of the end of the world and extinction of all life in such a neutral tone made Parsee almost wish she never heard it in the first place.

"Hold on," Satori pauses as if the bridge princess actually cares for this conversation, "something interesting is taking place deeper within. I need to get closer."

As she crosses the bridge and into the fray, any youkai in her way are effortlessly vaporized by lasers emitted from her third eye. Her meager pace isn't hindered even in such a place as a war zone. Honestly, nothing could seem to phase the Mistress of the Palace of the Earth Spirits.

"I'm so jealous," Parsee says as she watches Satori vanish into the mob.

In that "Interesting" place

A few moments before the mind-reader took notice, a lone wolf rests in a spot as if nothing at all was wrong. The innumerable battles taking place somehow seem to avoid him, and only in his area is there peace. Almost is this like the den of a sleeping dragon. Still they must fight, but no matter what they dare not disturb the slumbering giant. Had this wolf commanded that they be quiet, this would have been a silent riot.

Treading the path with great difficulty, another wolf soon joins the side of the one in rest. Clearly the monsters didn't show the newcomer the same kind of courtesy as his flesh is ripe with minor wounds.

"Master Sköll," this one addresses the other, "I bring a message from your brother."

The one being addressed as Sköll does nothing but yawn.

"Your brother says he's found the path to the moon and he wants you to investigate a fairy calling herself 'Cirno.'"

Sköll's tail wages a few times, but he is otherwise unresponsive.

"Sir," the messenger tries to reiterate, "this is a direct request from your brother."

There's a moment of silence amidst this battlefield, but eventually he responds, "So he found the path to the moon has he? Good for him. I don't imagine he's come across anything that will help me with _my_ objective, has he?"

"Sir, we believe that this 'Cirno' may be-"

"I know of Cirno!" he barks, and for a moment there is another lull in the fighting surrounding him. "Did he call her a 'fairy?' Don't be ridiculous. If it's a fairy then it definitely isn't Cirno, but if it isn't a fairy and it really was Cirno, it makes no difference to my mission. What I desire is a path to the Sun, and Cirno is the furthest from that."

Then finally he lifts his head as if he was awake, "No wait. Given the current situation then Cirno's appearance makes sense. Ha! So that's the origin of all this mayhem!"

Excited, the messenger speaks, "Then shall I return to your brother and tell him you'll accept his request?"

"Of course not. If Cirno's taking action that means the path to the Sun will be unreachable, and stopping her is impossible for myself alone. I think I'll wait out the storm in this place. It's warm, and eventually all these creature will kill each other and it will quiet down. This is a good place for a nice long nap."

"Your brother will be disappointed to hear you say that."

"Pup, were you not of my brother's pack I would have ripped out your throat, so don't say any more than you have to. Leave me before I really start to get angry."

While it might have been a dire threat, Sköll seemed completely indifferent. However, the messenger has gooseflesh and fur standing on end. It wasn't a warning that he gave, but a proclamation with no more emotion than a king sending a thousand soldiers to die. One more word, one more second in this place and his life is forfeit. Wasting not the warning, the messenger plunges back into the fighting where he may be safe. Sköll watches his brother's pack-mate disappear, then lays his head down once again to rest.

"That was an interesting conversation you were having," someone new decides to interrupt him.

Unlike the time before, the wolf actually acknowledges this newest guest when she arrives. Opening one eye he sees a short purple-haired youkai approach.

"Three eyes," he observes, "a satori. If you are speaking to me that means you've had difficultly reading my mind, and since I know of your presence I can adequately protect myself. Disturb me no longer, I will not even waste a thought to help you uncover whatever answer you're searching for."

"My," Satori responds, "how forthcoming. Most people come to hate me because of my ability to read minds, but you could care less about that and simply hate everybody. To think that you hold me in the same esteem as the rest of them is truly flattering."

The wolf remains still.

"You really are guarded against my mental probes, aren't you? This is the first time I've come across a creature as fascinating as you. Would you like to become one of my pets?"

An eye opens from his position of rest.

"That got a reaction, and you leaked some of your true intentions long enough for me to hear something. You are angry that I would make you submit as my pet, but the prospect of biding your time in my mansion is alluring. Very well, I shall invite you into my home as a guest, not a pet."

Sköll says nothing but rises to his feet. As he comes to a stop in front of her, it almost does look like she's his master. A faint bit of a smile almost creeps across her lips, but fade thereafter. Perhaps she was about to make a snarky comment but thought better of it. They depart.

Something that didn't happen before; as the pair walk through the rage-blinded monsters, they somehow remove themselves from their path. When Satori was by herself, even though it was nearly effortless, she was forced to dispatch all those who were in her way. Already a being capable of a considerable amounts of destruction, when these two were together they made the youkai depart in fear. Was it their combined presence which caused this, or was it the wolf himself that terrified them?

"Who are you?" she asks. Then, almost as if she forgot, "My name is Satori Komeiji."

Though she isn't expecting a response, the wolf says, "Sköll."


	11. The Ultimate Truth

Where the heroine(?) resides

On the steps of a rustic shrine, a young maiden dressed in red and white sits as the peace and calm engulfs her. In her hand is a cup of tea, and ever-gracefully she brings it to her lips and takes a sip. Afterwords she places the cup on the ground and reaches for a rice cracker that's been neatly arranged on a plate to her side. Taking a bite, there's a loud "crunch" and she places the remainder back on the plate. Next she swallows and downs the remainder with another sip of tea. Breathing deeply and exhaling, she couldn't possibly obtain a higher sense of Nirvana.

"What are you doing?" someone screams at the shrine maiden, and she might keep from being physically shaken but her face is more than a few shades of annoyed.

"And here I thought the peace and quiet was too good to be true," she moans with a grunt.

"You can't tell me you don't know what's been going on out there!"

This interloper is a tall woman of rather brutish stature. Most noticeably of her features is the mirror hanging in the center of her chest, and the shimenawa floating closely behind her at a fixed length. None does she look happy.

"All the mayhem that's happening outside and you're here sipping tea?" she yells some more. "Aren't you the miko that's supposed to handle these things when incidents occur?"

"Aren't you the _Goddess_, Kanako?" the priestess fires back. "If you're so concerned about it why don't you and your green-haired lackey take care of it?"

"Now now Reimu," a sweet cheerful voice comes from a small figure behind Kanako's large back. A petite girl slightly larger than a fairy peeks her head around, "It's not the youkai that are bothering us, but the boundary that's completely closed us off from the outside world."

The priestess, Reimu Hakurei, smirks like she's figured something out, "And why would a closed boundary concern you at all?"

Neither the goddess or her small companion feel all that comfortable answering, but the little one does, "Sanae's been trapped on the outside."

"Oh?" and Reimu takes a sip of tea, but with nowhere near the grace she did when she was alone. "And what, pray tell, was she doing in the human world, Suwako?"

The short goddess Suwako Moriya, of the Moriya Shrine, tries to explain, "Well, two days ago she went to the human world to purchase the new Gundam game at it's midnight release-"

Suddenly she's shut up by Kanako quickly covering her mouth, "Sanae said she missed some of her friends from the human world! She was supposed to come back some time yesterday, but she's still gone."

Reimu might not know what a Gundam might have been, but she got the gist of what was going on, "So she got trapped on the other side because access to the outside world had been cut off. It's got to suck to be her right now."

"Spare me your sarcasm! You of all people must know what's going on! You tell us what's going on or get that gap-youkai Yukari to explain it to us!"

At that moment for the first time, Reimu looked like she'd been wounded by words. After taking a sip of tea she explains, "The boundary's been weakening for some time now. It was getting pretty bad at one point, but then suddenly two nights ago, probably right at the time Sanae was planning to come back, Gensokyo was completely separated from the human world. I've tried to get in contact with Yukari, but it seems she's disappeared. If I had to guess, I'd say she's sealed herself between the two world to strengthen it once again. After all, that's her job and she's at her strongest when she's in neither world. We probably won't see her again until this incident's resolved."

After her explanation, there is a silence while all three sort out there thoughts.

"Then why aren't you doing anything!" but that doesn't last long when Kanako once again begins yelling.

"And where am I supposed to start?" Reimu matches her tone out of sheer irritation. "Besides, I haven't seen Marisa in a while. Normally she'd already be here yelling at me in your place. If she's been away this long she must have picked up a trail. I say we just leave it to her."

"How could you be this irresponsible? Leave it to someone else? Aren't you the one who's always nosing in on everybody's business."

"Now now," Suwako tries to calm her companion. "We know a bit more than we did before, so let's put our heads together and figure out a way to get to Sanae. We'll leave the other stuff to Reimu and Marisa."

That were a queer glance that was directed at the priestess. Kanako didn't seem to notice and she reluctantly agreed with her companion. After exchanging gratitude and farewells the two goddess depart.

A few minutes later, "That was kinda funny," a voice announces itself and a person emerges from within the Hakurei Shrine. It's a short orange haired girl with two horns sprouting from her head.

"Suika," Reimu introduces her, "did you find anything?"

"Yeah," and the oni takes a seat by her side, "they're all heading underground."

"Underground? Where exactly?"

"Well, that jealousy youkai has them all stalled at the bridge to the Ancient City, but it seems they want to go deeper in. I don't think she can hold them off much longer. Yuugi is there giving her a hand, but she's never been known for having the best stamina or attention span, and the flood's been increasing by the day."

"And we still have no idea why they're heading underground."

"No."

After that being said, a shadow darts across the distance in front of the shrine. A figure then comes to a sudden halt and the two can hear the flapping of wings. Gracefully a girl of dark feathers slowly descends to the ground. In her hand is a notebook and there's a camera strapped to her waist.

"Maybe I can help you with that," she tells them.

"Did you figure anything out Aya?"

Aya Shameimaru, the tengu reporter for the Bunbunmaru Newspaper, addresses the red and white priestess, "A bit, Reimu, but not the entire picture as of yet. However, we're not the only ones trying to figure out what's going on."

"Oh? Who else?"

"For starters, that mind-reader from the Palace of the Earth Spirits, then there's the doctor from Eientei. Also it looks like Marisa and the Scarlet Devil Mansion crew are up to something."

"Okay, so what do you got?"

"Well, Satori says that all the youkai are scared of something, an End of the World-type something. Recently she picked up a rather intelligent wolf-youkai that seems to know exactly what's going on, but he isn't opening up to her. As for Eirin, she's convinced there's some kind of large-scale curse at play, taking control of the lesser-youkai's willpower."

"That sounds pretty farfetched. What about the other two?"

"I ran into Marisa, but she refused to answer any of my questions. As for the Scarlet Devil Mansion, they're locked up tighter than your coin purse. They're definitely hiding something. When I tried to sneak in there, they sicked their head maid on me. I might be the fastest in Gensokyo, but an opponent that can stop time is no joke."

At the sound of that, Reimu takes a stand, "It seems that little vampire is the cause of this. Let's pay her a visit and see exactly what she's hiding."

"Hold up," Aya tries to stop her, "I already know what she's hiding."

Reimu only stares in question.

"I know this might be hard to believe, but the secret they're trying to keep is that they're holding Cirno as a patient."

An expression that can only be described as, 'are you serious?' washes over her face, "Cirno? The stupid little ice fairy? Are you serious?"

"Now hold on! There's more to it than just that. Apparently about four days ago Cirno fell sick with a fever. A little fairy friend had brought her to the mansion and Eirin is acting as her physician."

"What's a sick little idiot have to do with the end of the world and all that?"

"There's more! Satori said what brought her to suspect this wolf-youkai was that he mentioned something about Cirno being involved. I also visited Alice in the Forest of Magic. Marisa had been staying with her until Eirin visited. After hearing about Cirno, Marisa suddenly got very serious and took off."

After hearing about all the fuss being made about that stupid little ice fairy, Reimu could no longer think of the situation as ridiculous. If she's garnered the attention of such powerful figures, then she has to be in some way related. That the vampire Remilia would go to any length to try and keep Cirno for herself should have been proof enough.

"So how exactly does Cirno tie into the weakening of the Gensokyo boundary, some kind of curse making youkai go berserk, and the end of the world?"

"Wait, you're forgetting something! Didn't you notice the flowers?"

Reimu doesn't seem to understand.

"Jeeze, they're in your own back yard. Why don't you take a look."

At Aya's suggestion the priestess goes around her shrine to the back. It's not like she's so lazy that she doesn't even know her own stretch of property. After taking a peek she doesn't necessarily see anything wrong. Everything looks healthy, but a lot of sakura pedals seem to have fallen to the ground. She'd have gather them up sometime soon.

Just as she was about to turn around and ask Aya, she says to herself, "Wait."

With utmost urgency she again turns to the cherry trees, "The branches, they're all bare! Spring hadn't started all that long ago! How can they all have withered so quickly?"

Aya takes by her side, "I spoke with Flower Master of the Four Seasons, Yuuka Kazami, about the withering flowers and she told me something rather ominous. She said, 'It's merely the end of this current cycle. Slowly all things will fade, but than again be reborn. Everything will start again anew, so there's not much that can be done.'"

A notorious liar was that absurdly powerful youkai, but Reimu somehow found her words hard to discourage.

"What the hell is going on?"

In a frantic search

Marisa hasn't made any progress to support her hypotheses, so her mood was actually improving somewhat. For in her head was the worst case of all worst case scenarios, so finding not a single piece of evidence of support made it all the more unlikely. For Cirno to somehow be the cause of all this chaos was a bridge too far in the first place. It was so silly a notion she should have dropped it the moment it entered her head.

Yet she couldn't relax. Unease bit into her so deeply that it was like a needle had pieced her chest, inching closer to her heart with each passing moment. That she still hasn't found any evidence made her both relaxed and desperate. Inside her mind she kept imagining a ticking clock. Could she accomplish her task before the alarm? Would everyone be saved? Could things go back to the way they were without having to suffer some major crisis? And what if she fails?

Unease still fills her, but as with everything, time heals all wounds.

Currently she's circling around the edge of the Forest of Magic, close to the base of the Youkai Mountain. One final means was there to disprove her theory, and if she can go to that place and find that person, her theory would be all but disproved. A huge weight would lift off her shoulder and she could relax. Obligation would no longer push her to solve this incident. What great relief would that be.

As she was approaching closer to her destination, an out of place noise catches her ears. Marisa scans around from high atop her broom. It doesn't take long to find it's source. It's a small girl dressed completely in white. It's either a human child or a fairy. Either way she might as well see what's going on.

When she was close enough to the ground the black magician recognized the figure as a fairy. What's more, she recognized the fairy in particular. She seems to be crying. Normally a crying fairy was something to ignore, but it was hard to remove yourself from someone known as the purest and kindest of her kind. Everybody's day brightened whenever this particular person made her presence known, so Marisa couldn't simply tear herself away. Only could she land before the creature and try to help.

"Hey, why do you look so gloom Lily?"

Lily White, the messenger of Spring, lies on her knees as her hands fruitless wipe away tears that seem without end. Almost does the poor fairy seem too preoccupied to even respond to the magician, but fighting her sadness she finds the strength to speak.

"Spring is dieing!"

The words force that needle to sink completely into Marisa's heart. For a moment she's not only at a loss for words, but she can't even breathe. From all sides does she feel walls trying to crush her.

"W-what d-do you mean?" she stutters, already knowing exactly what it means. "What do you mean Spring is dieing?"

"Spring is dieing! If Spring dies it will never come back!"

Despite suspecting better, Marisa would do anything to not believe what she was already considering, "Do you mean it's a change of the season? Is Summer coming early?"

"No!" Lily White screams. "Not Summer! Not Autumn! If Spring dies the World will fall into an endless Winter!"

This was it, the taboo that's been on the tip of Marisa's lips ever since she heard of that dreadful truth. Before her was the proof she so desperately sought. Lily White, the Fairy Harold of Spring, if anyone were an authority on the matter it would be her! Testimony taken from her could only be the truth. That truth was the evidence that the absolute worst has come to pass, that these rumors of the World's End were not that; rumors. The Word really was coming to an end, and Cirno was without a doubt the cause!

In the haze of distance, something moves. Marisa snaps her sights to the motion she caught. Before her eyes was another figure, the woman whom she sought. Her original goal, before the truth slapped her in the face, was another crucial piece of evidence further driving the case.

"Letty," the syllables stumble from her lips like droplets of water overflowing from a glass, "Whiterock."

The creature known as Letty Whiterock was a special type of youkai. She was a yuki-onna, a snow woman. During three of the four seasons of a year, this particular breed of youkai goes into hibernation. Once in her adventures, Marisa stumbled upon the cave in which this specific woman sleeps. Marisa wanted to go to that cave and make sure she was precisely that, asleep. While Letty appears to be in a daze, unaware of her surroundings, not really seeing what's in front of her like someone suddenly awakened in the middle of the night, she's most definitely awake.

A yuki-onna is an incarnation of Winter. Lily White was the Harold of Spring, and like a yuki-onna she's only active one season of the year; Spring. For Letty Whiterock and Lily White to both be present at the same time was an impossibility! Unless-

"Congratulations," a voice deep and menacing suddenly resounds and frightens Marisa, forcing her to rapidly turn with a jerk, "you managed to solve the mystery of the End of the World. It is now in your hands to prevent said catastrophe."

At first she sees nothing, but in time a creature melts away from a shadow. Concealed to the point of invisibility, a wolf reveals itself as it steps into the light. Though it appears as foul as any demon from hell, it speaks as clearly as any man. In this but small breeze his fur dances like a flame and yellow eyes glow like the Sun. How could this creature that is at least twice the size of a normal wolf have hidden itself so well?

"Who are you?" Marisa's fear rises, nearly causing her to scream.

"Is it not the custom to introduce yourself first before asking someone else's name, Marisa?"

Not exactly sure why, but this creature greatly frightens her. Marisa isn't sure if it's because of it appearance, attitude, or something completely unmeasurable all together, but she knows she doesn't want anything to do with this monster. Reaching behind her back she retrieves an artifact that never leaves her side. Slightly larger than her hand, she brings it before her and shouts,

"Master Spark!"

Erupting from her Hakkero, a blinding ray of light is fired at the wolf. Thunderously it roars and devours the creature in it's wake, also engulfing hundreds of trees that were within it's path. The blast is defining, both in it's sheer radiance of magical force and in the gale storm that's produced as a byproduct. Marisa's feet sink into the earth while she tries to control the awesome power, and poor little Lily White is completely knocked over. Destruction incarnate she has unleashed, after for about ten seconds she weaves this power to the point she believes her target has been annihilated. After the torrent finally ceases the castor's left completely short of breath.

"We won't be having any of that Marisa," his voice whispers right next to Marisa's ear.

Turning rapidly she finds the wolf simply standing behind her.

"The moment you left the safety of the skies my absolute supremacy was established. The next time you chose to move I might just decide to rip off your arm so you can't do something so dangerous ever again. While you are on the ground you are my prey."

Sweat rolls from her scalp, but she tries her best to hide her intimidation, "Aren't you the talkative one?"

"I've been told that I am," the wolf speaks. "I enjoy words and enjoy conversations. This I won't deny, but lets return to the matter at hand. You asked me who I am. To be honest, I'm surprised Eirin told you nothing about me."

"Eirin?"

"Yes, when she came to visit you at the puppeteer Alice's house. What she didn't tell you was that just before she'd arrived I approached her. The finer details of our conversation are none of your concern, but I'd told her that I'd been following her."

"Oh, is she your type then, ze? You announce that you're her stalker?"

"Hardly. While I told her that I'd been trailing her, I never mentioned that I wouldn't continue to do so after our confrontation. I continued to follow her even into the home of your friend. If you're curious as to how I knew your name, it's because it was spoken by the doctor of Eientei, Eirin."

"Okay, so you know who I am, who are you?"

"I don't know your family name."

"Kirisame."

"Ah, Marisa Kirisame it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Hati Hróðvitnisson, but just call me Hati as I doubt you possess the tongue to pronounce the rest."

"Okay, Hati, so what do you want?"

"Well, for one, to congratulate you. I've been observing many who's been trying to solve this mystery. From the loyal great-fairy, the studious doctor, the obnoxious vampire, the intrusive gap-demon, and then finally to you. You, Marisa Kirisame, were the only one to even face the right direction. So once you began your search I knew you'd be the first to reach the conclusion."

"So what, do I get a medal? I'd like something in gold."

Hati hisses something that almost sound like a choke but may also be laughter, "This is why I enjoy conversation so much! Sorry, but no. You'll receive no reward from me."

"Then what do you want? It couldn't have been to have the mystery solved, because you knew from the very beginning that Cirno was the cause, didn't you?"

"The very beginning? No. I wasn't certain until I saw your reaction to Eirin's news. Deep down you suspected something which I knew, that Cirno is special. Unlike you, however, I know _why_ she's special, though you are clearly on your way to that understanding. As to what I want, well, I don't want you to solve the mystery, yet."

"Why? You must know what happens if we can't figure it out and do nothing about it. Don't tell me you actually _want_ the world to end."

"No, I do not. What I want is for a certain something to happen. Unfortunately since you've come to the ultimate conclusion you possess the ability to prevent that."

"But if we're too late-"

"The World will not end. Or at least, not with the swiftness of a stroke of lightning. No, the end will come slowly, gradually, until all life falls into a peaceful final sleep. I'm gambling all my hopes that it can be prevented after a certain point, but until that certain point I cannot allow you to succeed."

To a point, Marisa knew he was right. Of what she is completely certain the end will not come in a flash, but if the residents of Gensokyo fail to act it will end for certain. However, this didn't mean she had to go along with the wolf's plans.

"So now what, are you going to silence me, ze?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Then why are you telling me all this? Why didn't you end it when I wasn't aware of your presence?"

"I told you, I enjoy conversations. You can go ahead and attribute it to personal fault, but please don't label me as some conniving trickster or scandalous knave. Certainly don't I consider myself a hero, but I am definitely not a villain. We simply have our roles to play in this grand stage performance, but your scene has yet to begin, so if you step out now you'll throw everything into disarray. We can't go having the conclusion before the climax, can we?"

Marissa sighs, this conversation has certainly drained much of the fear she had felt with this creature first made it's appearance. Maybe it's because she's come to not completely hate the wolf, to understand it just a bit. Had she tried to defend herself while her edges were on nerves she would have been thoroughly defeated, but now she feels she has a fight chance even while at a disadvantage. She's ready.

"Alright, I see how it is, ze. But before we do this I have a question; if I'm not supposed to save the day right now, when exactly am I supposed to do it? What is this certain event that's supposed to happen?"

For a moment there's silence, hesitation. Hati who's been so talkative is now troubled with his words. This must be something big.

"I see," says the wolf. "If I were to succeed in suspending your progress then it wouldn't matter if you know at this moment or not. The future that I must not allow from being prevented, and that the world can still be saved even if it were, is that Remilia Scarlet is going to die."


	12. The Death of Comedy

Return to ground zero

"Marisa!" Patchouli shouts as her friend stumbles into the library. "What happened to you?"

A frequent visitor of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and most particularly the library, has seemed to have just suffered some kind of attack. Clothes in tatters, bruises and scratches abound, this was a person who's just endured some kind of thrashing, but that she can still stand upright must mean she's emerged victorious.

"Hiya Patchy," Marisa is forced to lean against a nearby chair for support, "I got something important to tell ya, ze."

Rising from her desk, which may have supported more books than the nearby shelves, the sleepwear clad librarian rushes to the aid of her friend, "Sit down! Who did this to you?"

Marisa swings her arm around Patchouli's shoulder while she helps her to a seat. She looks to her friend with a slight blush, "Geez, I haven't seen you move like that since we first met."

"Shut up you," perhaps she's more embarrassed than the injured magician. "Now tell me what happened."

When she's finally in a seat, "That's a contradiction, ze, but whatever. I had a little scuffle with a rather nasty individual, but that's not what's important. I've got critical information on that little patient you're taking care of."

"How do you know about that?"

Smirking, "Everybody knows about that, ze! Wasn't it little Dai-chan who was running around everywhere asking for help? If the end of her trail led to Scarlet Devil Mansion, well, it would be easy to guess what they were trying to hide."

Sighing, though for which particular reason it wasn't certain, Patchouli states, "So you have information about Cirno."

"Yes!" and she leans forward in her chair like they were sharing a secret, "Cirno isn't exactly what she seems, ze."

"I know," Patchouli immediately fires back.

"Really?"

"Yes, ever since she came here almost a week ago, I've been doing nothing but studying about her. Well, not exactly. At first I thought some kind of curse or mononoke was effecting all of Gensokyo, but I quickly discredited that theory. See, she's made of water, but it's 100% pure water, absolutely free of impurities. In a sense that makes her the most holy attributed figure possible, even more than the Lunarians on the moon. Curses and other unholy-type spells wouldn't have an effect on her. The more I learned about Cirno the more I began to question her past. I started search through Western folklore and mythologies for cross-reference. I'm not 100% certain, but I believe I've found a few old legends regarding her."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. From what I can tell she's survived since the middle ages, so about 1500 years. Mostly little things, pranks, that have made their ways towards fairytales and books. Though some things point to her being even older, I'm not completely certain as of yet. But you came here because you have something urgent to tell me, right? From what I've read I'll nearly believe anything."

"I'd like to hear some of those stories, but this is what I've learned; Cirno's current condition is a kind of metamorphic state."

Nodding, Patchouli adds, "I thought as much. The oldest of the stories about remark of a woman, not a fairy. It isn't until after a certain point that she becomes a fairy. I think at some point within the last 1500 years she's regressed to a child-like state, and now she's finally reverting back."

Marisa is deeply listening.

"Don't you remember hearing something completely similar to that?"

Patchouli's sudden question seems to have caught her off-guard, "Oh, I'm sorry." And she laughs, "I don't seem to remember, ze."

Hanging her head, "You're hopeless. That's exactly what happened to Suwako Moriya. 2300 years ago Suwako lost to Kanako and regressed to the state of a child. If she could gather enough faith she might return to her adult form, but for now she's stuck like that. I believe Cirno is in a similar situation, but it's not faith she needs, it's time."

"And time is running out, ze."

"Exactly. For now all we have been able to do is watch over her, but the question is what will happen when the last minute finally comes."

"I think it's better we don't find out."

What was just spoken was done so with dark intentions. Patchouli nearly leapt when she heard such a cruel tone come from Marisa.

"What are you saying?" she was almost too afraid to ask.

"The signs are everywhere, Patchy. The weakening of the Gensokyo boundary, the migration of the youkai to the underworld, the flowers wilting away, it's like everything's slowly rotting away and dieing, and the trigger for everything is Cirno. Once she completes her metamorphosis, what do you think all this will lead into?"

"Patchy!" shouts the youthful voice of her landlord. "Patchy, are you in here?"

"Remi?" Patchouli stands and moves away so she can see the front entrance. Then when she spots the vampire, "Over here!"

"There you are Patchy," Remilia continues to speak as she walks over. "I want to hear if you've made any progress since yesterday."

"Remi, you've been taking this rather seriously, haven't you? Every day you come here and ask me what I've learned. I don't think you ever visited me this frequently."

"If I've taken an interest in something," explains the vampire, "I want to know everything about it."

"To the point of obsession," jabs the librarian. "Actually I was just speaking with Marisa," and as she returns to the seats they were using, she finds the magician has vanished. "Huh? Where did she go?"

"What?" Remilia sudden seems concerned, "Marisa made it inside? I've put the mansion on complete lock down. How could she have made it in without me knowing?"

As they're having their conversation, Marisa has already made it past the large oak doors and outside the library. She clutches her wounded side while bracing herself against the wall for support. Deep breaths accompany her slow steps.

"Damn," and Marisa's voice is slowly changing into something it isn't, "I didn't think her mere presence would begin to dispel my illusion." It seems as if she's losing strength, as her body lurches further and further to the ground. "And that librarian, her research has progressed further than I had anticipated." By now she on the floor, completely on all fours. Her clothes fade away and is replaced by fur. "Damn you Marisa," the wolf curses, "I had you at my mercy and you still injured me this badly." Whom is no doubt Hati, despite masquerading in a cloak of another's visage, the injuries that were projected are real. "Manipulating these people is proving harder than I had anticipated."

Stumbling, Hati misses a step with his left leg and falls forward, hitting his nose against the carpet. He tries to regain his pace but he's struggling.

"Curses, after all I've done I can't let them find me out here."

Somehow he finds the strength to rise again, but it's clear he lacks the ability to completely flee. He can't even hide anymore. Still he pushes forward.

Whatever discussions are taking place in the library, they are lengthy as the wolf hasn't heard anyone make an exit. This mansion is so large that it won't be impossible to avoid detection while taking time to recuperate, but first he'll have to escape this long hallway and actually find a place to hide. All the fairies who weren't tasked with critical duties were stationed outside as guards, so chances of bumping into someone should be low. Too much luck is in place, and Hati disapproves of relying on luck.

A stirring occurs ahead. Someone is coming. This pathway is near a bend, but that doesn't particularly mean he has a place to hide. If only for a few moments he could meld into the shadows, but that's going to deplete his already waning stamina reserves. Hati's only chance to complete his objective might be to attack whomever is approaching, and if he ate them he'd recover a considerable amount of energy. It didn't suit his tastes to be so brutal, but his mission was too important to let his own personal inclinations get in the way. Although if anything, he'd have to take this target by surprise. He melts into the darkness.

Shortly thereafter the wolf realizes his ears have failed him. It's not a single person her hears, but two. This situation is hopeless!

"These hallways are too long," a vaguely familiar voice says. "This place doesn't look that big from the outside."

"You get used to it," but this is someone he's certain he knows.

Hati falls from the shadows with barely the power to stand. Crossing into the turn that lies ahead, he fully reveals himself to the two that are approaching.

At the sight of the wolf, the one dressed as a maid gasps and nearly drops the plate she was carrying. The one nearby dressed in clothes of the Human World, goes into alarm. The second one's reaction might have been hostile if Hati doesn't collapse shortly thereafter.

"Hati!" the one dressed as a maid cries out, hastily placing the tray on the ground before running to his side. It's a fairy, but one much taller than most and with long green hair.

"Daiyousei," he's even having trouble speaking, "please, don't let them find me."

But it's not her decision alone, but once he sees her companion he doesn't think it's going to be a problem. Though they haven't been formally introduced, he recognizes her as the moon rabbit Reisen. Both of them are outsiders to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Neither have any loyalty to uphold in capturing this intruder. At Daiyousei's behest, surely would the doctor's assistant too offer her aid.

After understanding the situation he found himself in, Hati faints in exhaustion.

* * *

_Sorry guys, but Marisa lost. The battle between the two will be revisited later, so don't think I'm depriving you of some good action. Some pretty serious fight scenes are coming up, so don't you worry. Also, this chapter concludes Act 2. Something I'd like to note, there are references to other stories that I won't explore in LotS, so I'd like to recommend all of you to read _Moriya no Ou _by_ Gigameka _and _Silent Sinner in Blue _by _ZUN/Aki Eda._ I know the first is non-canon, but it's a great story and incredibly faithful to the series. _

_Act 3 will center around Daiyousei and Remilia, and the confrontation in the Prelude. Also will we visit Cirno's past, that 'certain event 1500 years ago,' so you'll start to understand just how our little baka-fairy is so powerful. As for how old Cirno is in canon, she's at least 60, as explained in _Phantasmagoria of Flower View_, but if you think about it she has to be at least 120. Cirno tells Tewi that the abnormal flower festival happens every 60 years, but how would she know unless she's participated at least twice before (PoFV being the 3rd)? Well, in my story she's older. Much older. I think you'll enjoy the chapters where I explore her past._

_Preview End. Until next time,  
_

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	13. Act 3 A Prophecy Fulfilled

Act 3

A Prophecy Fulfilled

In the bed of the one who suffers

Silence enshrines a deep dark room. A light casts a spotlight in this otherwise endless oblivion. Mounted atop a pedestal is a manufactured steel box used for entombing the dead. Inside is a pale girl with nearly no color of skin. Delicate aqua colored hair curls into semi-circles and lightly brush at her forehead. Since her blood has ceased circulating through her body her lips have turned nearly blue. Had this been any other one would have considered her dead, but in truth she is a member of the undead, a vampire. Yet as she's still in this coffin we know more than such, for even these seeming immortals cannot escape the final sleep. This girl rests in this coffin never to awake, dead in her bed and shall never rise again.

Blood red iris' reflect in the light as her eyes bolt open. Deep breathing accompanies a rapid heartbeat as she's awakened by the terror of her nightmare. Sweat has accumulated on her brow and she wipes it away in a fit. From her sleeping position she arises and peers about her room. Unlike in her dream, and a common cliché, she sleeps in a queen-sized bed and not a coffin. The pink sheets, white curtains, and red pillows were all chosen to suit her tastes, and never would she freely choose to place herself in a pine box. Thus is why this particular dream is so frightening, it is a vision so far removed from herself that it gives her genuine fright. Despite being a vampire, to be placed inside a coffin could mean only one thing, that she is dead.

No clock resides in this room so she's not certain of the time. Neither is there a window so she can't check the placement of the sun. Only could she know it was morning if someone were to come and wake her at the appointed hour, but until then she knows it not.

This nightmare wasn't the first of it's kind. For over a week now she's been seeing the same kind of thing. While maybe not a coffin, all were images depicting her death. Had this been any other person they might consider this foreshadowing, but Remilia Scarlet could see things beyond normal sight. This was a prophecy of her fate, and one which was rapidly approaching. After having the same dream so many times in row, nothing could convince her otherwise. Her end is nigh.

But how much more end is also in the works? Her world, Gensokyo, is in a panic. Youkai leave en mass exodus towards the underworld, the boundaries which protect them all are weakening, and vegetation is withering at a rapid pace. It's like a massive shift is underway, that everything that was before will now change.

Each and every passing moment brings them one step closer to a brand new world, but is this world going to be one that will welcome them? Many of the lesser creatures of the surface have fled, so does this mean they know their extinction comes? So what about those who aren't, the stronger ones who often shape their own destinies? Are they different, or has the cost of intelligence been the sacrifice of instinct, and they simply do not realize there is no hope? Do they openly ignore the rats deserting a sinking ship? A lonely little vampire suffers through all this, as if the fate of the very world rests on her shoulders.

At no time did she ever ask for this responsibility. All her wishes that ever existed were for the protection of her little family that remained. Simply because she was born different, a lottery winner in terms of genetics, she could see the countless threads of fate since the moment she first opened her eyes. Of all things, this gift had to be installed upon a denizen of the night, a vampire. While she's used it to her advantage and prolonged her own life, not until now has the opportunity arisen to use it for the sake of the world. So should she not use her gift to save everyone?

But if the rewards are great, then what of the price?

Many of her agents have been increasingly active around this land, researching, interviewing, and investigating. Everything there was to know about this threat she wanted. All information, witnesses, cases, anything and everything that was changing because of this unseen threat. A great many things were unexplained, yet somehow they all wrap themselves around a frail figure that was no greater than herself; a small and simple ice fairy named Cirno.

Or at least that's what they had previously believed. "A small and simply ice fairy," but was this the truth? In the first place, that was only deduced by their own observations, a conscientious of opinion. This does not make it the truth. What was needed were absolutes, raw materials, and scientific theory. Without knowing everything there is to know about, the truth will always lie beyond your grasp. Remilia Scarlet was thorough, close enough to the truth it almost reached her, but even as she approaches it only becomes more difficult to comprehend. However, yesterday a key piece of information fell into their grasp, but even then there was no less amount of unknowns.

No longer could Remilia remain in the confines of her sleeping quarters. Stepping outside she leaves her bedroom and heads in a certain direction. Although from the outside it appears that her Scarlet Devil Mansion has windows, in reality those are merely decorations. After all, two vampires dwell within and ultraviolet light is a poison to their kind.

Unwavering silence stills the hallways. Although it is an unknown hour, even then there should be a flutter of one or two of her fairy maids. However, due to the state of Gensokyo and her own precautions, she placed her compound on High Alert. Those without crucial duties are to be standing guard, so the normal everyday life has drastically changed. Now all her halls are as quiet as a tomb which pleases her in no regard. Perhaps this was also a reason why uneasiness shakes her so.

At the end of her path lies a door, and it is one with whom she is very familiar. Opening it she's welcomed by the outside world. This is the patio that overlooks the front of the mansion and the setting sun. At this hour however the azure hues still paint the sky, so it's safe to assume it's still early morning. Looking to her rear she can see the faint tints of orange of the rising sun. By her estimate it was somewhere between 4 and 5 am, still 3 hours before she'd be awakened. Wakings come like this from time to time, so any who know her well knows that when she isn't sleeping in her bed she's out on this patio.

Walking to the edge she can see the entire front half of the grounds. Even at this early hour her fairies dutifully patrol the perimeter. All of Gensokyo is engulfed in unease and fear, yet they still show such loyalty to their mistress. They are not slaves nor are they coerced to stay in any way, yet still do so out of duty. Honestly, what did Remilia ever do to evoke such love?

Below her a fairy maid notices her presence. With childish glee she waves, and Remilia waves back.

"Mistress," an ever-warm and comforting voice calls out to her from behind, "is anything the matter?"

"No Sakuya," she doesn't even need to look to confirm, "I'm just enjoying the view."

The silver-haired head maid leaves the side of the door and closely approaches, "And what exactly are you looking at?"

Just then a breeze stirs, refreshing the vampire in it's cool touch. Remilia takes a deep breath and lets invigorating air fill her undead lungs. Even if her body doesn't function as a normal living human, there are some things that will never change. Although she could potentially hold her breath for hours, breathing was one of her favorites.

"Just looking at everything I have. My property, my house, my employees, my family. If all of these fairies had names, I'd take the time to memorize each and every one. I don't know if I should be thankful that they don't."

"You are too kind by far," Sakuya comments once she's reached her master's side.

"Well, of course I care for all my possessions, but I also can't help but worry about others I should normally leave alone." For a moment there's silence while she ponders something in her head. "Tell me Sakuya, why do you think so many people stay around me? Our fairies, gatekeeper, librarian, you?"

"Because we love you," the head maid answers without hesitation.

"I see," the vampire can't keep from saying without a hint of glee. "Then what would you do if I wasn't here?"

This time a response doesn't come immediately. After a time, "Did you have one of those dreams again?"

_Those dreams_, she said. Only one kind of dreams could she mean, but-

"You don't answer a question with a question."

"Very well," and this time her voice was stern. "If you were to leave, I would follow. No matter where you were to go in this life, or the next, I would be by your side."

"That's no good. That's no good at all. If by chance I leave this world before you, I'd want you to find a new path, one in which you're a servant only to yourself."

"But that is not your choice to make," Sakuya states as a matter of fact.

Remilia nearly sighs, cutting herself short, "Aye, I guess it isn't. But if such a situation arises please keep my words next to your heart. The last thing I could ever want is for you, nay, any of my family to throw their lives away."

"That I can guarantee," the maid states proudly, "my death shall have meaning. I will use my last breath as a great tribute to your legacy."

This time Remilia sighs for real. The way she figured, they were her legacy. Neither Scarlet sister had any offspring, and her home and possessions could one day burn to the ground. It was the people that could prosper, and them living great and fulfilled lives would be her ultimate goal.

"Transient guests are we," the vampire mutters.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Something I heard a long time ago. Come now, let's return inside. Surely you must be getting cold by now."

"I would stay here for as long as my mistress wishes so herself."

"That's what I'm talking about!" and the Scarlet Devil takes her attendant by the hand, running with a playful stride.

From where it all started

In a well practiced manner the long slender fingers manipulates the delicate cloth and ties it into a bow. Observing herself in the mirror the fairy maid brushes off her shoulders and then spins around to view her back. The rear slits were custom designed for her kind; her pair of golden wings rest comfortably. A single time she beats them just to make sure she's properly fitted. Satisfied she twirls back and faces forward.

For nearly weeks now Daiyousei has been in the employ of Remilia Scarlet. When she first donned this uniform it was ill-suited. For starters they didn't have anything prepared in her size. A fairy she might be, but she is also pretty tall. To make matters worse her hips and bust were also larger than most fairies. Not only was it difficult to breath when she first dressed as a maid, but she was revealing more of herself than she would have ever wished to. Thankfully Miss Izayoi made the necessary alterations, but that took a few days.

"Settled quickly into your new role I see," gives Daiyousei a fright.

This room is barren of any personal affects, save for her normal clothes that were hung in her closet. It was a stock residence that had yet to be used, so when the new hire moved in nothing really changed. It was a simple room with pretty much only a closet and a bed, and that bed was now occupied by a recovering warg.

"Hati," her voice shows great concern, "you're awake!"

"Aye."

"Y-you didn't see me change, did you?"

As the moments pass by without a response, blood rushes to her face.

"I did not wish to be rude."

Some kind of inaudible scream escapes her lips and she rushes towards the nearest pillow. Grabbing it she hits him repeatedly.

"Could...you please...stop," he tries to say between blows, "I'm...still injured."

Daiyousei ceases her assault the moment she remembers, but offers no apology. Her puffy cheeks clearly voice her displeasure.

"I have been treated," Hati cranes his neck to observe bandages around his wounds. "Did you do this?"

"Reisen and I both did it," she answers still somewhat sullen.

"Then you have my thanks, and I'll convey my gratitude next time that rabbit and I meet."

By taking a deep breath Daiyousei allows her anger to subside. After all, had she not also seen him while treating the unconscious wolf. Though she couldn't say that made the two of them even.

"How did you get injured, and why are you in the Scarlet Devil Mansion?"

Hati lowers his head on her pillow, a comfort he's not used to knowing. For nearly all his life he's merely slept on the floor. While he can't say he enjoys a bed, the pillow is certainly nice. But making himself more comfortable isn't going to make the fairy forget her question.

"The two are separate, just so you're sure. I came across these injuries," but the words get caught in his throat. He knows what he wants to say, what he can say so he can avoid putting himself or his mission in jeopardy, but he losses the will to speak them. What was it's cause?

Patiently the fairy waits.

"It seems I cannot lie to you," for as chatty this creature is, he knows when he'll be called on a bluff. Something about the fairy makes him think she'll see right through him. "I had a fight with a magician, Marisa Kirisame."

"I thought so," and she doesn't seem surprised. "I've bandaged up Cirno many times when she went and fought Marisa. Her brand of magic is something I've come to recognize."

Was that it? Did Hati innately know she was asking him a trick question? The creature himself wasn't sure.

"Why were you fighting her?"

Here he didn't have to lie, "She discovered something about your friend. If I allowed her to be she'd have done something terrible to her."

Always on her mind, even if she's been preoccupied by the tasks of being a maid, Daiyousei would never forget about Cirno, "What? What was she going to do to Cirno?"

"She would have made Cirno disappear forever. I couldn't let that happen."

"What? Why?" and here she was becoming hysterical. "Does she know what's happening to Cirno? Do you?"

"Yes, she does, and so do I. Listen, you might not want to hear this, but your friend is changing. You can call it a metamorphosis or growth spurt, but your Cirno is changing into something more."

"Is that true? What's going to happen to her, and why would Marisa care?"

"It's because what's taking place inside of your friend is effecting all of Gensokyo. The monsters, the boundary, it's all because of what's awakening inside of Cirno. Marisa believes that if she destroys Cirno that everything can go back to normal."

"That's insane! No way would Cirno ever wish for that to happen!"

"But it will," his words cut like a knife. "Sleeping within Cirno is an awesome power that can disrupt the balance of the world. No matter what she might intend, one way or another this world will be a very different place after she awakens. It'll be hard for you to accept, but that is what's going to happen."

Falling to her knees, Daiyousei seems to be along the brink psychologically. What could very well be her worst nightmare has just be relayed to her while she was awake. This is no dream.

"Why does it have to be Cirno?"

"Because she is special. She always was. You being her closest friend, haven't you at least suspected this much? I can see why you might have preferred to ignore your suspicions, but this is reality, and time will no longer wait for you to convince yourself."

Tears spill for the girl's eyes, and even the warg isn't steel-hearted enough not to look away, "The other fairies are saying it's the end of the world. Is Cirno really going to destroy the world?"

"It is a possibility."

"And what about you, Hati? What do you believe?"

His silence speaks volumes.

"What are you doing here?" and now anger heats her words. "Why did you come to the mansion? Do you want to destroy Cirno as well?"

Daiyousei's small fairy hands have balled into fists, and she stares at the demonic wolf as if she couldn't fit in his stomach. There are sharp snaps and cracks in the air. Her magic is beginning to leak from her loss of control. This isn't anything particularly much, but for a fairy it's impressive. Even in his injured state Hati might not have much trouble dealing with it. Still, Daiyousei is fearless.

"I want her to awaken," he tells her. "If she awakens we may have to stop her, but it might also be the only way to save her. Unfortunately putting a halt to Marisa seems to be all of what I'm capable. Remilia Scarlet will discover this sooner or later. And when she does, I'll predict she'll act no differently than our magician."

Everything suddenly sounds so complicated, so beyond her, that Daiyousei feels completely helpless. Suffocating in her despair she fears her heart may stop at any moment. What could be the most painful moment of her life is upon her.

"What am I supposed to do?" by no means is this a rhetorical question. By the pleading in her moist eyes the hopelessness she fells is overpowering. Despair has taken root so deeply that Hati fears she'll faint.

"Wait!" he doesn't know why he's shouting. His voice acted on it's own, so it takes him a moment before he realizes what he wants to say. "When you were in danger, I protected your life, and when I was in danger, you protected mine. I don't feel that we are even. You had an immortal whom would have quickly returned to your aid, while I was alone. I feel that I owe you more. If you want to run from this mansion, I can help you escape."

Hence why Daiyousei felt so helpless. Since the lock-down it should have been impossible for anyone to enter without alerting the excessive security, but at the same time it also made the inside a prison. Maybe that's what the Scarlet Devil had in mind the whole time; not to keep intruders from sneaking in, but to keep the prize they acquired secure. If Remilia had at least some knowledge about Cirno's condition beforehand, that would make perfect sense. But in her room is currently somebody who could freely bypass the vampire's security. Seeing as the entire mansion isn't on alert, only Daiyousei and Reisen know he's here. Surely he can help both the great-fairy and ice fairy escape.

"Do you-" and her eyes were very anxious, nearly intoxicating, but before temptation can completely take her, she stops herself. After taking a moment to calm down, she begins again, "But your injured. Wouldn't that be too much for you?"

Realizing that he himself was staring too intently, Hati breaks eye contact and looks away. Then he says, "Aye, I still need to recover. Your room should provide me ample safety so that I can rest, but I also require feed. If you could secure some meat for me, I should have enough energy by this evening to cause a big enough distraction that could allow you to escape."

"You would do that for me?"

Solemnly he nods, "Yes. I am one whom honors favors and pays thine debt. Should you but ask I'll throw myself into danger to protect you. Even more so if it's to protect your friend."

For a brief moment Daiyousei seeks a reason to refuse, but that's quickly overtaken with concerns for Cirno. By whatever means necessary must she protect her friend.

"Yes," her voice is strong, bold, and determined, "please help us escape."

"I shall."


	14. Myths and Legends

On the other foot

"She's late," her mistress complains. "Is it that fairies have a problem telling time or something?"

Sakuya simply remains still as Remilia voices her complaints. Had Sakuya herself been the maid attending to the vampire's personal care the pot of tea would have been prepared the moment she'd awakened, but since the stunt she pulled the morning after Daiyousei was hired as a temp, Remilia was insistent that this fairy remain on those duties. A bit of revenge play since she knew Sakuya was throwing a subdued tantrum. Now both of them are passively bickering with one another until the other says she's sorry. So if Daiyousei is late or performing poorly in her duties, Sakuya merely ducks responsibility. This will continue until one of them lets up. So in other words, this could continue for a very long time.

"Might I suggest you seek someone else to fill the position?" though her tone was neutral, it was clear she was being snarky.

"No, I don't demand the same level of perfection from others as I do myself, so I will instruct her until I am satisfied with her performance. And my 'instructions' have been known to be quite effective."

"As you wish," Sakuya nods, but she couldn't help but somehow find the situation odd.

For the first couple of days the fairy known as Daiyousei had been having a rough time. She wasn't exactly clumsy and she was naturally talented at taking care of others, but it seems the mannerisms of etiquette of proper society to which the Scarlet household demands of it's maids. Some day in the future the fairy would make an excellent wife and mother, but she makes a terrible lady. Still, for the past few days it'd become clear that Remilia was happy being under Daiyousei's care, but the mistress has been kept in waiting for nearly an hour. This truancy felt unsettling.

Then again, Marisa might have something to do with this. How exactly did she get into the mansion without the head maid/head of security knowing? And where the hell was she now? Though she might be the mansion most frequent (uninvited) visitor, it troubles the maid that someone knows the Scarlet estate better than her.

Finally a knock sounds and the muffled voice of the fairy is heard. Remilia retains her silence as if she's a panther waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," says Daiyousei as she opens the door. "Oh! Lady Izayoi, I didn't realize you were attending to the mistress." At least she seems to have her speech patterns memorized.

"I am not. I'm merely here as an observer, and I must say you are very late with your lady's morning tea."

"I have no excuses," and she offers none.

"Whatever," Remilia is getting irritated with the word play between the two, "just get over her already."

Pushing the platinum cart the fairy brings a platter of tea and sweets to her bedside. Trying her best to mimic grace she pouts the tea into a cup.

Sakuya easily notices, and by quickly glancing to the side she can tell her master notices as well. Daiyousei's unnecessarily nervous. No, "frightened" might be a better word. Most of the time Remilia's scolding is hollow words (and the exact opposite is true with the Izayoi maid) and in actuality she's very easy-going and relaxed. Even if the vampire was irritated or upset, there wasn't a particular cause for fright. Yet somehow this tall fairy was exactly that. It wasn't exactly a cause for alarm, but it was one for suspicion.

"What exactly caused you to be late this morning?" and with Sakuya asking this, there is an even heavier weight to her words.

"Um!" she nearly shrieks like a child getting caught telling a lie. "I had trouble leaving my room this morning." Her smile was crooked and nearly broken. It didn't seem like a fabrication, but it neither felt like the truth.

"Very well," are the only words with how Sakuya chooses to respond.

Weakly the fairy laughs and hands over the tea.

"Goodness Sakuya," Remilia speaks up after finally having a sip, "surely she didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition this morning, so ease off her a little bit."

"Yes ma'am."

But it seems that only the two not native to Gensokyo understood the reference.

"But this kind of behavior will not be accepted, Dai-chan. Your employment may only be temporary, but I expect you to conduct yourself as a professional. Are we not fulfilling our end of the bargain by caring for your friend?"

These next words sound so cold that even someone like Remilia hesitates, "Yes, you are."

Such anger rushes through Sakuya that she's just about to spring into attack, but her master halts her by speaking first.

"Very well. That will be all. Sakuya will be attending to me the rest of the day. See to it that Patchouli doesn't require anything."

Just like that, Daiyousei was demoted. All because of the tone of her voice. Had one of the normal fairy maids been given that honor, they'd be heartbroken to the point of tears by now, yet this larger-than-most fairy acts as if it's a matter of course and offers no objection. Devotion such as Sakuya's, the gate guardian Hong Meiling's, and the fairies can't be bought so simply.

After accepting the new assignment, Daiyousei excuses herself and leaves.

"It seems she no longer trusts me," Remilia says after the fairy could no longer hear.

Fists wrapped into tight bundles, eyebrows crooked, and a stare that could freeze a person's blood cold, Sakuya nearly snarls, "After all we've been doing to try and find out what's wrong with Cirno, I can't believe-"

"Sakuya!" her voice booms and shakes the entire air of this room. It's a call so powerful and demanding that the maid is tripped off her feet, but she manages to keep balance. "Calm yourself. Daiyousei's frustration is understandable, but a foul air has influenced her. Sakuya, I want you to find out what devil is whispering in her ear."

Finally, an order. After nearly a week of being absent by her master's side she's given a directive, "Yes mistress."

Eager to begin her mission with haste, Sakuya is nearly out of the room before she's stopped by Remilia clearing her throat.

"Ahem. Of course you'll do so after you help me change."

Working wonders to conceal her elation, Sakuya responds with a basic, "Yes mistress."

Unfortunately the results of Sakuya's investigation yielded negligible results. Feeling that Daiyousei's tardiness was most suspicious the head maid checked the contents of her bedroom. Because the house head is a vampire no natural light enters the structure, thus making the entire insides dim. Candles and magic help illuminate the corridors, and the bedrooms are the same.

Inside the temp's room was almost nothing of any notice. Just to be safe the moment Sakuya opened the door she froze time. It was dark with only a sliver of light creeping through the doorway. For a moment the intruder thought she might have got the wrong room as it seemed exactly the same as all the other vacant quarters, but minute disparities made it clear it was occupied. Only two objects were out of place: one was Daiyousei's normal clothes which were currently unneeded as she was working as a maid, and the other was an unmade bed. Nearly did it appear as if someone was still sleeping in it, but in the darkness nothing was revealed. Further searching yielded no results.

Switching between trailing the target, and having other fairies reporting anything unusual, only one incident was there of note. Sometime during lunch a ham had gone missing. Nobody saw her take it, but the fairies were pretty certain it was Daiyousei, and when cross-examined, they said none of them had at all seen Marisa. A crime of nil importance. Nothing incriminating was discovered.

Remilia was disappointed nothing could be found.

The ham incident

Much was going through Daiyousei's mind that most of the day felt like a haze. In the morning when she was delivering Remilia's morning tea she was nervous. Not only was she late but Miss Izayoi was also there for some reason. It's like they knew she learned the truth about Cirno and was hiding the intruder. Then they act normally and play coy as if they don't know what's going on. When the vampire mentioned Cirno, the shackle of restraint snapped and emotion filled Dai-chan's words. This was not appreciated. Relieved from her duties of handling the lady of the house, she was told to tend to Patchouli, who already had Koakuma, her personal familiar who was at her every beck and call. To say the least Daiyousei was left without a purpose.

Still, she couldn't stand around and do nothing. After checking with the librarian and researcher, the fairy maid volunteered for kitchen duty. Normally these tasks are Miss Izayoi's responsibilities of choice, but with her suddenly returned to her mistress the staff was left unexpectedly short-handed. Though the fairy had the threat of the head maid returning later on, at least now she had the opportunity to steal some rare and expensive meat for the injured creature sleeping in her room. She couldn't return to him at the moment, so she took a ham and stashed it in a hidden place from where she could retrieve it later.

Continuing to keep busy for the rest of the day, at lunch she took the meat and returned to her room.

Something had been bothering her, however. How exactly did they know that Cirno was special? Because Daiyousei had been close friends for so long she knew there was something different about her, so she accepted the word of Hati fairly easily, but how did he and Marisa discover the same thing lacking such experience? What was it that they knew that she didn't? Her gut feeling and intuition were one thing, but they must have had some facts.

"Why do humans preserve foods in honey?" the warg complains when Daiyousei brought his meal. "It makes the meat loose all taste."

While Daiyousei couldn't say she'd ever sampled honey glazed ham, there were other matters she wished to discuss.

"How do you know there's something special about Cirno?"

Because there was no prelude this topic was announced rather abruptly. Hati is a bit annoyed that his meal is being interrupted, but chose to entertain her request regardless. While he is eating this conversation takes place:

"Mostly it's the stories and the common themes surrounding them. Though there's one that's particularly famous in the outside world. I would simply tell you it's name but I doubt a fairy would recognize it. It's also the story which led Cirno to be in her impish state."

About 1500 years ago a young human boy caught the fancy of a being with tremendous power. This boy had come into this world from unknown origins and was raised as the adopted son of a knight. Idolizing his father who took pity on the orphan, the boy was raised to uphold the ideas of justice, chivalry, and honor. This boy was a completely pure soul who had the qualifications of a savior. This being of great power recognized his potential and watched over his upbringing. She came to love him.

This boy was born into a world strife with war. Kingdoms battled kingdoms, civilizations were slaughtered in the name of religion, and some of the cruelest human atrocities were committed.

In his homeland the ruler died without producing an heir and the entire land near erupted in anarchy. Nobles plotted against one another, betrayed, murdered, all in an attempt to usurp the vacant throne. To keep the country from imploding a single wizard made a suggestion, that if someone could complete a certain task the crown would go to him. To save blood from being spilled all those in power agreed and each took to the task. What was thought to be simple proved to be impossible. All matter of citizens from across the lands attempted the impossible feat, but none were successful. After so long the mission was abandoned, and the kingdom continued without a king.

Years pass and the young child had become a young man. Now a squire and his father retired, the son accompanies the man to a ceremonial tournament. Since none could complete the task it was decided that the mightiest warrior would be king. All manner of fighting men took part, all except the young man who was still too young to compete.

Having realized he'd forgotten his father's sword, the boy searches frantically for a replacement. Not does he have the money to purchase a new one nor will anyone allow him to borrow theirs. Frantic, the boy searches everywhere for something that may have been lost or discarded. Back alleys, open plains, anywhere he could think to look. The boy happens across a forest with a peculiar item seemingly abandoned. It is a sword stuck into a rock. As the boy realizes this may be his only chance, he prepares himself to use every ounce of strength to free the sword. To his surprise the rock releases it rather easily. Elated, he returns to his father.

Being presented a sword, the father immediately knows that something is off. Ornately decorated, sharpness beyond comparison, balanced by a master craftsman; there was no way a sword of this value had been simply abandoned in a forest. Asking from where he found the sword, the boy answered that he pulled it from a stone.

The boy had completed the impossible task. He was now their king.

All the while this incredible being watched in silence. She was overcome when he was crowned a ruler, proud when he built a castle, cheered when he went to war, and cried when he married. Without intervention she watched as he grew to become a magnificent man and king. Her heart was satisfied with watching from afar as she knew no good thing would blossom from her intervention, so the fondness she bore would be kept locked away.

But nothing lasts forever.

A dark tiding came when a lone knight entered his graces. This knight had with him superior abilities, vast intelligence, and unrivaled beauty. While the king innocently thought nothing of this knight's potential threat, he was unprepared when this knight stole the love of the queen. When the king learned his bride had fallen into the arms of another man, one of his own, in his rage he shattered the kingdom granting sword.

Witnessing all this the mystical creature wept. Everything was falling apart. The king's court was wrought with betrayal. He lost influence and the people were losing faith. His enemies prevailed and gathered power. This king who was once a shinning hope now lay near-broken and destitute. If this situation continued everything he built would fall to ruin.

No longer could she sit by and watch this happen. That her love could no longer be contained in his suffering, she sought to replace the sword that was lost. Using much of her own power she forged a weapon of unrivaled might, despite that doing so weakened her greatly. For the first time she finally approached the king and handed him his new sword. Accepting this great gift the king returned to his seat of power and ruled once more.

However, this new-found magic changed him. Relying solely on his power he became detached and cruel. His ideals of honor and justice still motivated his actions, but no longer could he relate to the people nor govern them as a fellow human being. No longer did he hold compassion and he dispassionately cut down his enemies and wrongdoers. The people, as well as some of his knights, began to fear him. This led to more revolts and wars.

The end of his life came at the hands of his very own son, whom he himself killed in a mutual lethal strike. With his last breaths he ordered his closest friend and most loyal knight to return his blessed sword to the lake, where the mystical being who'd unknowingly watched him his entire life resided. The knight hesitates and once returns to his dying king protesting that the sword is too valuable to lose. Admonishing his friend the king repeats his order. In reality it was the great being that inserted the notion to the knight, for if the king retains his sword he might recover. Surely he must have know this as he knew it's power, but his court had been disbanded and his country was in ruins. The king had failed in his sacred duty and he chose to face his punishment in death rather than cling to a shameful life. With great regret she accepted the sword as it was thrown in the lake, and the king finally perished.

Wallowing in despair the great one lost her faith in humanity. Sealing away her pain and her memories, she was reborn as a child with no notion of her own great power. Leading a simple and mischievous life she has continued till this day.

"And that led to the Cirno you know."

Daiyousei was forced to use her old clothes to wipe away her tears. She began to weep at the time of the king's death, but hearing of Cirno's distraught didn't help. Only now was she calming herself.

"So," Daiyousei struggles to speak, "if she awakens-"

"She'll likely be as powerful from _before_ she made the sword."

"But, will she still be Cirno?"

Unable to look her in the eyes, Hati lays his head on the pillow and rests, "I don't know. She'll either be Cirno, the ancient one, or a combination of them both."

"But then how-"

"Daiyousei," he calmly interrupts her. "Now isn't the time to worry about this. Our talks have taken slightly less than an hour. If you do not return to your duties you'll attract even further suspicion. We'll have one final time to talk before you make your escape. Come to me the hour before the sun sets and we'll set our strategy. Until then it's important that you continue as if everything is normal. Do you understand?"

With sombre understanding she accepts and does as she was told. Making sure to diminish the lights she leaves the room in darkness. Whilst in the shadows Hati's body dissolves into nothingness.

* * *

_Hmmm, it seems like Act 3 has quite a few references to modern culture. Chapter 1 had _Vampire Hunter D_ and 2 _Monty Python_. Kudos to anyone who noticed them on the first read.  
_

_[Semi-Spoiler] - If you would rather reach your own conclusions, cease reading here. It's only my personal commentary after all.  
_

_In case you hadn't realized, the legend to which Hati is refering is indeed King Arthur, casting Cirno as the Lady of the Lake. Many versions of this legend exists, but most versions have 2 legendary swords. The Sword in the Stone and Excaliber are two different blades, and since the 2nd had to come from somewhere it is believed Excaliber was blessed by fairy's magic. The Lady of the Lake was sometimes refered to as a "fairy," though most prevelent was "lady." Seeing that Cirno is the uber-fairy and resides at Misty Lake, I thought it would be fun to tie to two together. That's what gave me the idea of _Legend of the Strongest_ in the first place. Sometimes all it takes is one simple thought to give birth to grand tale.  
_

_~ Kyle Castorena  
_


	15. Preperations

And finally, at that time

Only twenty minutes pass before the door mysteriously opens again, but then closes nearly immediately. In an instant the room fills with the scent of a woman, and it was the same woman as last time, but nobody other than Daiyousei had ever entered the room. It was certainly odd, but as long as he is in the shadows he is invisible and undetectable. Such a convenient ability when stealth and infiltration are key. He could follow someone all day in their shadow cast by the Sun and never draw a sliver of notice. However, that vampire proved to be different. Just simply being near to him affects his magic. Thankfully Remilia does very little herself and orders everyone else to do her bidding. Would the master of this mansion actually search for him herself she'd likely discover the intruder, but sending a representative was a waste of time. Had the vampire actually known any of this, however, she would not do something so foolish, but as long as she knows nothing of Hati she won't personally lift a finger.

After lunch five hours remain before sunset. Attempting an escape without the light of the day would be impossible. While he was in recovery if the vampire was added to this mansion's security he couldn't even provide a distraction, not to mention he desired to escape himself. Actually it would have been best to attempt an escape first thing in the morning, but by then the sleep spell he cast on Marisa should expire. It's a careful balancing act he must perform to keep from appearing suspicious while also forcing the vampire's hand.

Time passes quickly and he realizes he's fallen asleep. Forcing himself awake, in a drowsy haze he doesn't find the presence of the fairy. Since there are no window outside he can't tell the time, and since he'd slept he lost track of it in his head. To think his entire plan could unravel due to him falling asleep. Well, if anything Daiyousei knew when to come to him, so as long as they both don't mess up everything should be fine. The warg feels he's recovered enough strength so the hour must be drawing near.

No sooner does he think that does the door fly open with alarming haste.

"Sorry I'm late!" Daiyousei yells with an apologetic tone. She's breathing rapidly so she must have ran at least part of the way. This isn't looking good.

"Our time is short," he says despite not being sure. "I wanted to have one final talk but we no longer have the luxury." Leaping from the bed he comes to face her. "Undo my bandages and I'll explain the plan." As the fairy is doing as instructed, "It'll be your task to make it to Cirno and convince Reisen to either help you or let you leave with your friend. About that I can do nothing. I'll give you ten minutes after we leave this room and I'll create a havoc outside. Your escape route will be very straightforward, take the nearest paths and exit through the front door. I'll have handled the bulk of the fairy maids so you shouldn't have much of a problem with any stragglers. With as big a mess as I'll be making I should have the attention of the Gate Guard, that Chinese youkai. Your biggest obstacle will be avoiding the head maid. If we're lucky she'll stay by her master's side whom will undoubtedly remain indoors during daylight hours, but she might also be attending to other duties."

"At this hour she's serving tea to the mistress," Daiyousei says with confidence because she'd been attending to Remilia and knew her habits. "It's too late for her to be out on the patio because it'll offer no more shade, so she'll be in her room. Unless the mistress orders her to go Miss Izayoi would remain by her master's side."

"Excellent. If you can time your retrieval well-enough you could be gone before they realize what's happening." His bandages had long since been removed, but he needed to say everything he had before coming to this last part. "Okay, now before we leave I need you to do one thing."

"Yes," Daiyousei had given him her full faith.

"I need some of your blood."

This request surprises her, but she agrees almost too rapidly.

Even though he wasn't asked 'why?' he still explains, "I need it as a catalyst to transform into you. If I borrow your image I can arouse less suspicion while I get into position. If the head maid gets involved too early she could ruin my whole plan."

Although she already agreed, she repeats, "Alright. Go ahead."

Daiyousei extends her arm and soft white flesh from where he can draw. In truth he only needs a drop, so the prick of a finger would have been enough. To offer this much just shows how eager the fairy is to protect her friend. It's almost sad how trusting she is of him, but then again she might just be desperate. Still, he wouldn't wish to make her feel foolish, so he takes the offered arm graciously.

As he nears her flesh Hati's keen sight notices what already look like faint bite marks. At first he thinks ticks, but the care to this mansion was immaculate. No, considering the master of this house it was obvious whom was the culprit. Remilia had already dined on her blood. Vampires were known for leaving their kiss on a victim's neck. There were two reasons for this; because the purest blood in a human body can be found closest to the heart and the neck is an ample location, and drawing blood closer to the brain can imprint mental dominance over the victim. Normally the case is that after you are bit by a vampire you are their slave. In actuality it's only if they bite you in the neck. Not all vampire wish for mind-controlled slaves, so those who value their subject's free will would take blood from a fresh cut, or bite an extremity like an arm or foot. In the past they would never even consider drinking in this round-about way, but since the rise of the church and the evolution of it's hunters most would use this round-about method to keep from drawing attention. After all, a sudden outbreak of anemia was much less conspicuous than mind-slaves and ghouls.

So Daiyousei had been bitten in the arm, and it appears she isn't a slave to the vampire's will. If it were done just for a simple snack it wouldn't be a problem, but once a these types of creatures of the night taste the blood of a person, they'll always be able to track their location. It's a sense unique to vampires somewhat similar to smell. No matter how far Daiyousei runs, no matter where she hides, Remilia will be able to find her. Clearly the master thought ahead, probably draining this fairy's blood either while she asleep or under the suggestion of hypnosis. This escape is doomed to fail.

"H-Hati?" at the sound of her troubled voice he looks up to see her blushing in embarrassment. "Is something wrong?"

Her heart is about to be broken in a few short hours, yet there is nothing she could possibly do to prevent it for it's already too late. Perhaps the cruelest thing he has ever done in his life, he allows her to think she still has hope, "No, it's nothing."

Without any further hesitation he bites, a quick yelp produced from Daiyousei. While Hati possessed the strength to rip her entire arm off, he was gentle enough to allow for only a small trickle of blood. In no time at all he had all he required, but he couldn't yet remove himself from her flesh.

There was still a way.

If they were to swap tasks, have Daiyousei make a distraction while he takes Cirno, certainly they could flee. If told this were the only chance for success the fairy would certainly forfeit care of her friend. However, his plan has never been to see Cirno to safety. Exactly the opposite in fact. No, for his mission this escape has to fail. Still, the hesitation in his heart almost made him want to abandon his mission and help Daiyousei, but he couldn't.

Removing himself he takes a step back and begins to glow with a warm light. Fur slowly retracts into his body and reveals a creature of skin and muscle. His naked shape which was originally his own bends and molds into something smaller, feminine. Atop his head his fur changes color and into hair. On his back two boney appendages sprout then mold into golden wings. What was a man's chest shapes into breasts and for the briefest moment he's Daiyousei in her full naked form, but with a nearly comic "poof" clothes sprout from his body until he's completely identical to the fairy. He opens his eyes to face an identical self.

Near identical.

"Your eyes," Daiyousei speaks automatically as she herself would have considered herself speechless, "they're a different color."

Daiyousei's eyes were green, but her clone retained his original yellow.

"It's a very difficult technique to master," he says in her voice. "I was merely lucky that Marisa and I share the same color."

"Marisa?"

His tongue slipped. Hati had mentioned battling with the magician, but he never mentioned he stole her form. Undoubtedly the fairy is connecting the dots, and will eventually come to the conclusion that the reason for the fight _was_ to steal her form. After that her trail of logic might lead her to uncover his true objectives, but she hadn't the time.

"Don't worry about it," and he's being truthful, "you have other things to worry about. We may not have the opportunity to speak after this, so if you have anything you want to say you better say it now."

And it's true. After this moment Daiyousei no longer held a position in his plans. No further contact would be necessary between the two. Yet somehow, he felt like he was stalling.

Nodding, Daiyousei looks as if she understands something. Taking the hand of her clone, she might have forgotten it was a male underneath, or maybe that's what's giving her courage, "I just want to say thank you for everything you've done, Hati. After you helped me in the bamboo forest, you'd been searching for a way to help Cirno too, haven't you? When she's better again I'll tell her everything about you!"

An intoxicating smile brightened her face. Hati had managed to copy the speech patterns and mannerisms of his previous impersonation, but never could he duplicate an expression such as Daiyousei's. A bit clumsy, but it had all the warmth of a homely mother.

"Good luck," he wishes from the bottom of his heart heart.

Ever-vigilant in her duties

Even though she could communicate with others of her kind over 400,000 kilometers away, she has no idea what had been going on back home at Eientei. Not to say her current duty which has her kept at the Scarlet Devil Mansion wasn't important, but it was boring. Doing all this for a single sick patient was much, but her master Eirin made sure the emphasize how vital it was that she stay. Caring for the sick ice fairy was one part, but perhaps the biggest duty was to spy on the vampires. Honestly she didn't see the point, but than again she'd been proven wrong on multiple occasions that they were a capable and resourceful bunch.

In the past Eientei tried to hide the Moon, but that ended in their crushing defeat. Reisen Undongein Inaba possessed in her lunacy-inducing eyes. Anyone who peers into her eyes can be disoriented and shown any illusion she desires. The purpose of hiding the Moon was to more specifically hide Lady Kaguya from the sights of the Lunarians. Unfortunately the residents of Gensokyo didn't take the loss of the satellite too kindly. After breaching the mansion's defenses they made it all the way to her. As a last line of defense to protect Lady Kaguya, Reisen crafted a hallway with an infinite number of doors. Unfortunately the vampire Remilia Scarlet saw through the illusion immediately and wasn't hindered at all. Not to mention that maid of hers, Sakuya Izayoi, even managed to stop the progression of time to make the night last for several days, all so that the vampire could fight without suffering from ultraviolet light. Fatally the lunar refugees underestimated the powers of Gensokyo.

Also was there another incident. Sometime after the vampire suddenly felt the necessity to travel to the Moon. By one of the most sorriest excuses for a rocket, they constructed a vessel that actually delivered them to the lunar city. Of course they were hastily defeated by the Moon's forces, but the fact that they made it that far was a testament to their ability. If Remilia Scarlet has an interest in a sick fairy, than no doubt it must be important.

Still, other than recording Cirno's condition every couple of hours there wasn't anything else for her to do, and she's already been here nearly two weeks! This is torture! Her only contact was with either Eirin, Patchouli, or Dai-chan who would come to visit once or more a day.

A knock sounds at the door, immediately pulling her out of the haze of near-sleep. Sluggish and drowsy she tells the person outside to come in.

"Oh, hello Dai-chan."

This fairy had been the most frequent of the visitors. In this week they've spoken much and shared many stories. The relationship between Daiyousei and Cirno was very similar to the one with Tewi and herself. Not only were the both of them guests at the Scarlet Devil Mansion, but they both had much in common as well. They're actually very compatible personalities.

"Reisen-senpai," the moon rabbit made the fairy call her that, "there's something I need to ask you."

Something was off about her tone. Dai-chan was normally very warm and open, but now she seems as reserved as when they first met. Tidings such as these don't bode well.

"You look worried. What's up?"

"I need you to let me take Cirno."

That certainly was an unusual request. What exactly did she mean?

"I want to take Cirno away from here. It isn't safe anymore."

"What? Why? Is the vampire plotting something?"

Daiyousei is slow to respond. She must be choosing her words carefully.

"They found out what's happening to Cirno. I need to take her out of here before they hurt her."

"What?" she couldn't believe it. How could they possibly discover Cirno's condition before Reisen or her master? "Why would they do that? What's happening to Cirno?"

"I don't have time to explain. I've already made plans for an escape. I need you to let me take her!"

Understanding very little of what was going on, the options now before Reisen are clear. Leave Daiyousei alone, stop her, or help her. Eirin would never forgive her pupil if she just sat by and did nothing, so out of the two remaining choices she trusts her better judgment.

"I can't just let you cart off a sick patient," the medical assistant proclaimed. "I'll go with you, but I want to know everything when we're in the clear."

Daiyousei's stunned. She must have thought that at the very worst she'd have to fight with Reisen, and the fairy seemed desperate enough to do so even though she knew she'd lose, but to effortlessly acquire an ally? Not in her wildest dreams. Even the rabbit felt it was rash, but she couldn't stand being in this place much longer. And besides, her master would be proud that she became a thorn in Remilia's side. Helping Daiyousei felt like the right choice.

"So tell me, what's the plan?"


	16. The Final Step

And it began

"Who are you?" a fairy screams once happening on Daiyousei.

That is to say, the doppelganger of the green-haired, golden-winged fairy. Hati threw his arm and from his shadow sprang forth several mist-like skulls. The poor fairy maid who recognized the fake was hit solidly by the projectile, where she was hurled crashing into the wall to her rear. Easily could his power had killed her, but he had no desire of starting a bloodbath. She was merely unconscious.

Unfortunately he was spotted much, much sooner than he wanted. He hadn't even made it outside before he ran into a maid doing some cleaning, and low and behold she saw through his guise at but a glance. Maybe fairies have superb instinct regarding their own kind. Then again, many of them look exactly the same so they must be able to tell others apart in ways other than appearance.

At the time the mansion was mostly hallow as the majority are stationed outside as guards, but the incapacitated would be discovered sooner or later, and not to mention her scream. It was much sooner than he had planned, but he might as well get the diversion started.

Suddenly his speed became impossible for one with only two legs. In a sprint he heads towards the front door passing none on his way. As he nears the realization dawns that something flashy is required. One to catch everyone off-guard, but to also notify Daiyousei of the advancement of the schedule. Also did that run the risk of alerting the vampire, but that's what happens with hastily crafted plans.

As Hati nears the door he dips one hand into the ground, through the floor. Somehow he catches something and pulls it above the surface. An incorporeal black mass oozes from his hand, leaking a kind of gas that seems to be made from pure darkness. Just as he reaches the door he hurls the black mass. Once striking the entryway it detonates, tearing the massive wooden planks off their hinges and spiraling into the front yard.

Every fairy stationed outside turns to the commotion. They see the doors tumbling through the air and dive for cover. What was more shocking then that sight was the only person who could have been responsible, the fairy standing at the now broken entryway, Daiyousei. Even if they see it with their own two eyes, they still can't believe the situation. They are frozen. This is exactly what Hati had hoped for.

Leaping into the air the fake begins to twirl. Spinning at high speed he suddenly launches hundreds of those shadow skulls. At first they spray in random directions, but as soon as they become close enough to a fairy, yellow eyes suddenly flicker in their sockets and they begin to home. The sight of that alone is enough to inflict terror into the fairy maids, but seeing some of the companions fly into the air after being hit by one is the coup-de-gras. An unrecoverable panic takes them and they flee.

No sooner does Hati touch the ground that a figure is upon him. A tall woman dressed in green with long red hair has appeared in front of him attempting to strike with a thrusting knee. The Daiyousei clone knocks away the blow with his left hand and immediately strikes with his right. With just as superior reflexes the woman manages to block with her elbow. If that was a punch Hati would have just shattered his fist, but it wasn't a punch, it was a maul.

A blow that shouldn't have been powerful sends the red-head several meters back. She blocked so she avoided most of the damage, but even then she shouldn't have been pushed back that much.

"You're not that fairy!" she shouts. "Who are you?"

Like he would even bother with the question. Looking past the woman he notices the sinking Sun. There is maybe an hour of daylight left. Not a lot of time before the vampire could be released. Still, for his mission it seemed the perfect setting. All he has to do is keep this big one busy until the fairies make their escape.

Charging forward again, this one seems to prefer her martial arts to magical bullet-based combat. Unfortunate for her, so does Hati.

Matching her speed the warg in disguise takes to four legs and dashes even faster. Surprised by this sudden acceleration the woman can't react fast enough before the mock-fairy tackles her head first. It's not particularly a powerful blow, but it knocks the air our of her lungs and temporarily stuns her. As she's reeling, Hati wastes no time and grabs her by the shirt collar. Dragging her across the grounds he proceeds to throw her into the wall bordering the mansion. As she's slammed into the brick barrier she yells, and the intruder is ready to follow up with another attack.

Unfortunately he's stopped by magical bullets impeding his path. Some of the mightier fairy maids have recovered and were now coming to the aid of their captain. Hati smiles. If they were all hiding in fear than chances were greater that they'd notice the real Daiyousei as she's making her escape. If they can recuperate and rally against him it would make things easier for the fleeing party. This all might have been futile on his part and on the part of Daiyousei, but if he was going to put on a show he'd do so at the best of his abilities.

Shifting to the returned threat he lunges both hands into the ground, somehow sinking beneath without effecting the earth. Six dark masses shoot up like spears and dash towards the fairies. At first they look like blades, but the further they travel the more they change shape until they appear like four legged creatures. If one would say, they'd say they looked like wolves. Once their images became clear they all sprouted a pair of glowing yellow eyes.

Suddenly something hits the fairy illusion in the side of the head. Of course it's the marital artist, but he figured it'd take her a bit longer to recover. Such underestimating would prove fatal, so he has to make sure not to do it again.

What hit his head was a brick she'd ripped out of the wall into which she crashed. The guard seemed even more prepared as she has an even larger segment nearly as tall as her gripped in her hand. It looked silly, but it proved just how tough she could be as she held it with sheer arm-strength alone. Just as Hati steadied himself he sees the woman place that large segment of wall right in front of her. Moments later it explodes, hundreds of fragments sent hurling in his direction. He bet she simply punched it with her fist.

It's a tight fit but he manages to avoid all the shards of brick and concrete, but what waits for him after that attack was perhaps even worse. Crystallized fragments of pure Qi energy lay hidden in the shadows of the shards. Unlike with the bricks these he absolutely must avoid. Fortunately the fighting remained on the ground thus far, so by lowering to all fours he could sprint with all the speed of an animal. Being on two legs was uncomfortable to him and was only done as part of the disguise. Even in a humanoid form only little of speed was sacrificed.

As he's rushing towards the woman's location she's obviously preparing another attack. Crouched low she then leaps into the air, spinning in the very same manner in which Hati had done himself the moment he stepped outside. Except instead of skulls bursting from his hands, a bombardment of those rainbow colored crystals are being fired from her feet. She's attempting to get over him and shoot straight down. Even with his mobility it's impossible to dodge every drop of falling rain. If he gets caught in it it'll be bad, but he doesn't have to let it progress that far. All he has to do is strike her in mid-air.

With a plan set he dashes forward. Right before he leaps, however, bullets pepper the area to where he was about to jump. His attack had been anticipated. Already had the maids recovered from his shadow wolf attack and were again joining the fray. They were quicker than he thought. Considering the talent they had at their disposal, this mansion has been well-prepared to deal with intruders. If this invasion had started from the outside instead of within, he wouldn't have gotten this far.

Just as he saw the regrouped fairies, he noticed Daiyousei with Reisen, the rabbit carrying Cirno as she ran. That tall fairy actually managed to reel in a defector; he was honestly amazed. Not only that, but it seems the entire staff is too preoccupied with him to even notice the escapees. At this moment his task was done, but he couldn't exactly leave just yet. His own escape now needs to be planned.

Still, as long as he got everyone worked up he might as well have some fun of his own. With a grin on his/Daiyousei's face, he charges through the shower of bullets raining from on high.


	17. The Most Honorable Decision

A state of emergency

Sitting alone, in a room buried deep beneath the earth, a small girl plays with her stuffed dolls. She appears no older than ten with brilliant blonde hair and deep red eyes. Ever the picture of innocence she manipulates the teddy bear with tenderness and love. It seems she's acting out some sort of play between a couple. One bear seems to be arguing with the other, the pink one which would make it female. Against the brown harsh accusations are being thrown. Suddenly the woman gets angry and starts hitting the man. Then the brown bear explodes, his cotton intestines blanketing the room like virgin flakes of snow. For the stuffed animal to suddenly burst, even the child is surprised. However, that only lasts a moment. The next she laughing as if it were an honest accident and scooters around the room looking for something else to do. Just by picturing her one can image she could stay in this room forever and always be satisfied. In this world she is sublime.

Suddenly her head snaps to the door anticipating a knock. After there is one the door opens revealing the red-haired martial artist, bruises and scratches about her body, her clothes in shreds. Other than that she seems fairly healthy.

"Flan-jiĕ," she calls.

"Mei-mei!" Flandre shouts with joy. "What happened? Were you out playing with someone?"

Scratching her head Hong Meiling nervously laughs, "Kinda of. Listen, your sister's calling for ya. We're supposed to meet her at the banquet hall."

"Sister is? Wow, it's been two years, a month, and three days since the last time she's called for me! Something fun must be happening!"

Meiling's smile was somewhat painful. Remilia's younger sister Flandre has spent the overwhelming majority of her life in this room, yet she can so accurately keep track of time that she counts the days until she speaks with her sibling. To make it even sadder, she does so with joy in her expression. As the woman leads the child-like vampire outside, she peeks one last time at the door to her room. Unlike the rest of the house it's made of steel and there are thick iron bars that could be used to imprison the occupant. It's almost like they're trying to hide away the Sister of Scarlet, but that lock hasn't been used in a couple hundred years. It's by preference that Flandre removes herself from the world.

"So what happened?" Flandre flaps her pathetic wings in excitement. Unlike her sister, her wings are incapable of flight as she lacks the patagium between her digits. In it's place she's fashioned multicolored crystals to decorate her wings. "You were playing with someone, right? Was it fun?"

As they're walking and talking, they pass through the torture room which has collected more dust than blood. For as long as Meiling's been employed at the mansion under Remilia, this room had never seen any use and she highly doubts her mistress ever used it before. Maybe it was something the sisters' parents had need of. Whatever the case it was a horrible place to have neighboring Flandre's bedroom, so a long time ago Remilia had everything covered in sheets and they've remained ever since.

"It was an intruder disguised as a fairy," the mansion's guard explains. "She was pretty strong and caused a huge mess. It was tough for me and the fairies, but I think we had the advantage." Probably because of her now ragged appearance, Flandre believes she's just boasting. "But as soon as Sakuya-jī showed up, the intruder jumped into the mansion's shadow and disappeared. We couldn't find her after that."

They continue to chit-chat while heading to the banquet hall. Further past the torture room is a labyrinth of hallways. To their actual purpose, maybe they were used in case of an invasion their security couldn't handle. None of those currently employed had been around back than, but Sakuya has shared some of the stories told to her by Remilia about the Scarlet's past. Apparently they could run down here after being chased and not be found for days. That was plenty of time to regroup or even escape. Meiling knew the path to Flandre's room, but she didn't know what else might be down here. Not that she had any desire to go exploring.

Exiting the stairwell leads directly into the large room used for formal parties. Rarely does the Scarlet Devil Mansion entertain such events, but surely it's used more than the torture room. As for now all the tables and chairs have been pushed to the walls and the maids are lined up in military formation. At the head are Remilia, Patchouli, and Koakuma. Sakuya is in-line with the fairies. Many amongst the fairies are in similar beaten condition as Meiling.

"Good," Remilia is standing like a general addressing her troops, "now everyone's here."

Meiling and Flandre stand next to Sakuya, but are then waved to the front with the others. The younger sister begins to shrink behind the figure of the tall woman. Being in front of such a large crowd is making her withdrawn. That comfortable and expressive feeling when alone with the Chinese youkai is now gone. She's regressed to a shy introvert.

By all means Flandre thought her sister was about to begin some long and drawn out speech, and she wasn't disappointed:

"My loving attendants, friends, and family, this evening we had suffered an attack at the hands of some anonymous force. A despicable miscreant guised themselves as one of our guests and struck at us unprovoked. Members of my household, I see that many of you are injured, that some of my people are not with us now, and that you have put yourself at risk and sacrificed yourself to protect our well-being. For this I thank you. I also thank you for thwarting this villain and ensuring that no lives were lost. What's more important than delivering justice to our enemies is that we all return, that we all can be by each others side at the end of the day. While I am angry that you were harmed, I am overjoyed that I can once again see all of your smiling faces. To your exemplary effort I say 'bravo' and you should all be proud of what you have accomplished. Three cheers to your superb victory!"

Moral amongst the fairies ignite like a torch. In their shrill, delicate voices they applaud. After the clamor dies does the house head continue.

"In all of your minds you wonder, 'why were we attacked?' Whispering in the crowd right now I can hear the rumors that have already been circulating. One that many of you have come to know; Daiyousei, is missing. Not only that, but her sick friend Cirno and the representative of Eientei are also absent. There is no doubt that they use this carnage as a means to escape our hospitality. While you might hate them I must implore you to still your emotions. We have not yet come to understand their motivations, nor the identity of our attacker. And dare I say, even more critical circumstances faces us."

A murmur takes the crowd. They're not as positive about her recent statements.

"It's not a secret that Gensokyo is facing a critical time. Beasts run rampant in fear, many plants are withering away, and there are rumors of the end of the world. We only need to look so far as our own garden to remind ourselves that something is amiss. Many of you are uneasy. I've heard your words when you express your concerns. And somehow in all this we have come to care for a sick friend, one of your fairy kind. Now after we are attacked we've discovered that she has disappeared, along with her caretaker and nurse. And deep in your hearts you wonder if this is all tied together. Since this incident has started this Scarlet Devil Mansion has been at the forefront of the investigation. While we still seek the entirety of the truth, we have discovered much. I am saddened that I, in good conscience, can not alleviate your fears."

"Before us is a difficult trial. Come tomorrow morning I want all of you to reflect on what has transpired, and where you want to be from then on. Truths will come to light and all of you will have a better understanding of what exactly is at stake. It is my wish that you all stand together, but I'll understand if you want to leave. Just remember in your hearts that I love you all, and I understand."

Bringing a gasp to everyone in the room, Remilia has lowered herself and kneels before her subject. She is like a knight before the king.

"Thank you for your devotion, love, and many years of service. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Nobody knew where she was now going with her speech, but concerns are rampant amongst them. Sakuya in particular fells that something incredibly bad is going to happen.

Stepping forward she mutters, "Mistress?"

"Now," the vampire's voice is different from before; bold and commanding, and as she says this she raises her head, eyes glowing the brightest of burning crimsons, "Sleep!"

An ability inherent in all vampires, the mystic eyes that seduce and entrance. At her command all those looking into her eyes are forced to obey. All the fairies drop at once. Most susceptible to this ability are humans, and despite all the fairies succumbing instantaneously, the only human resident of the manor, the head maid Sakuya Izayoi, struggles desperately. Fallen to a knee, much of her strength has already left her body. Consciousness draining, she's defiant till the very last moment.

Hand reaching for her master, she pleads, "Remilia?" before completely falling down.

Those whom were standing behind her: Patchouli, Hong Meiling, Flandre, and Koakuma, are all aghast. Of the four it's the librarian who gathers herself the quickest and speaks first.

"What did you do that for?" she accuses as if her friend just murdered them all.

Remilia doesn't initially respond. Standing above her fallen companions she surveys what she's wrought. They all might have dropped helplessly, but they are all in good health. While their thoughts might have ceased their bodies still function and they're breathing. The master of the house stays like this for a few minutes, and then finally turns and face those who remain.

"I couldn't have them get involved in this any more," the vampire confesses. "What has to be done next is too dangerous for the likes of them, and Sakuya wouldn't let me go if she knew what I was going to do."

"What are you talking about? And that last part of your speech, you make it sound like you're saying 'goodbye.'"

Weakly Remilia chuckles, "This is a very dangerous situation we find ourselves in."

Meiling steps forward, "If this is involving the attack on the mansion, it wasn't anything we couldn't handle."

"No, I imagine it wasn't, but didn't you find something odd about how that fake attacked?"

"Well, yeah. I couldn't detect an ounce of bloodlust, but it also had a savageness to it, kind of like an animal."

"Animal or no it was clearly a distraction so Daiyousei and Reisen could escape with Cirno. The one in disguise seems to have planted in Dai-chan's mind some kind of conspiracy theory, or maybe not a theory but the actual truth. I imagine the one you spoke to, Patchy, was also this trickster and not Marisa. If this intruder can take other's appearances and infiltrate this mansion, they must have acquired a vast amount of information to be able to do that and fool a stolen form's friends. I don't believe the fake had told you lies, but I also doubt she told you the entire truth. That must be what we find out now."

Patchouli seems to be the only one fully understanding the conversation. With all that was happening the most intimate details of the case were shared only between the two. Meiling and Koakuma only know the general information, and Flandre is out in left field. In fact the younger vampire now seems to be completely bored. She finds entertainment in poking the cheeks of the unconscious fairies.

"What are you planning to do then?" Patchy asks. "We can find them and drag them back here, but you don't sound like you're interested in that at all."

Shaking her head, "No, that would probably only make matters worse. We've been in charge of this case and have expended much time and effort trying to find a solution, yet some vagabond can waltz in here and dangle vital pieces of information like bait to a fish. That intruder's message was very clear, that we have no control. This is beyond our ability alone to solve. Continuing any further as we have would probably only bring about disaster. Allowing Cirno to awaken is the same as opening Pandora's box. Unfortunately in our situation it's the box that wants to open itself, and we need to try and find a way to stop it."

"Then..." Patchouli hesitantly formulates what she's being told.

"Listen up everyone, I'm giving all of you orders! Patchy, I need you to gather together the strongest forces in Gensokyo. We can't be the only ones investigating what's going on, so everyone needs to pool together information. We may have the most vital pieces, but with those alone we still cannot see the whole picture. Koakuma, I want you and the fairies that choose to stay to assist her in this. Meiling, I hereby relieve you of your duty of guarding the mansion. From now on you are to protect the Unmoving Great Library with all of your power. Patchy is key in this campaign, and without her not just Gensokyo, but the entire world will suffer. Do you understand the orders I have just given?"

Nearly at once everyone started asking questions, but Remilia had to calm them down and took them one at a time.

Patchouli asks, "How do you expect me to gather everybody in Gensokyo? If everybody is doing their own investigation, then they are going to want to be in control."

"No, that can't happen. _You_ have to be the one to lead them. But as how to gather them, don't worry. I'll take care of that."

Meiling asks, "You don't want me to protect the house, but Patchouli? Aren't I just doing the same thing?"

"No. Depending on the circumstances you may have to abandon the mansion. I can't foresee what may happen, so you need to stay as close to her as possible."

Flandre asks, "Are we playing war?"

What had actually been on the minds of them all was asked by the simplest one. No one wanted to speak those words aloud, but that's what they were all thinking. And what's more surprising,

"Yes we are," answers Remilia.

"Oh! Goodie! It's been a very long time since we played war! What's my position?"

"You're going to be with me. We're going to head straight for the enemy commander."

This shocks everyone, but Flandre seems confused, "Really? If we go straight for the leader won't it be over too quickly?"

"No," and she shakes her head, "it'll be the beginning."


	18. And the Curtain Rises

Down went the Sun

"Her body's burning up."

After fleeing for nearly an hour Reisen tells Daiyousei that they need to stop. Placing Cirno onto the ground, the doctor's assistant feels it necessary to do an examination.

"Her temperature is about as hot as a human's with a fever. It wasn't like this the last time I checked her two hours ago. I don't know if it's because we moved her, or if whatever is going to happen will happen soon. Whatever the case, I think it's about time you told me what's going on."

Holding both hands in front of her chest, the tall fairy is still trembling nervously. It's been like this ever since they've made their escape.

"No," and her nervousness is so great she has gooseflesh, "we have to keep moving. Ever since we left the mansion it feels like someone's been watching me. No matter how far we go or where we hide, I still feel it."

"Someone watching?" Reisen questions.

After crossing over the lake they headed straight into the forest. Flying is their fastest method but that left them visible for miles. Normally the forest at night was dangerous beyond compare, but with the monsters heading underground it's as silent as a tomb. Actually, the lack of sound itself is frightening. Reisen imagines the same is happening all above the surface of Gensokyo. It was hard to think that someone's trailing when even a breath could echo.

"Yes," Dai-chan answers, "I don't know what it is, but something has their eye on me."

"Do you think it's the vampire?"

"Maybe, but we left when the Sun was still out. I don't think she can track someone during the day."

It was troublesome, but Reisen felt she must trust the fairy's instinct. After her careful examination of Cirno, the moon rabbit picks her up with great care.

"Okay, let's keep going. But where should we head? We might be far enough now, but we have no idea if or how far they are willing to pursue us. I would want to bring her to Eientei, but then it would look like we were somehow involved in that attack. No offense but I don't want to get mixed up with your friend Hati."

Though those words were painful to hear, "I understand. I would have escaped with Cirno even if you hadn't come with me," and her confidence makes her sound like she would have done so if even by force. "I think the Forest of Magic is a good place. It's far more dangerous than the forest surrounding Misty Lake, but all the monsters should be gone."

"That's a long way, do you think you'll make it that far?"

Reisen and Daiyousei froze at the sound of a voice that wasn't theirs'. Both of them had the same thought, "Impossible!" Not even 20 minutes passed since the Sun set, yet for this one to already catch up should have been impossible. To cover that distance was one thing, but to find them this quickly was ridiculous. But that mattered little to the fact that she was actually here.

Faintly lighting the nearby brush is the red glow of the invader's eyes. There's no breathing, movement, or sound of any kind, just that girl's sudden and undetectable appearance. Was this fear they now felt the same as the helpless villagers centuries ago? In their prime, were the vampires this horrifying?

Not even turning to confirm, Daiyousei charges magical energy into her hand so she can attack. Just as she stretches out her hand, Remilia already has her in a wrist lock. The fairy's magic fizzles into nothingness as the vampire points her aim helplessly into the air.

"That's not a very kind way to great someone," Remilia whispers into her ear. "After all we've done for you, you thank us by hurting my maids and breaking down my front door? It'll take a long time to make those repairs."

Enraged beyond control, Daiyousei calls to her companion, "Reisen!"

As she turns her head she sees the moon rabbit falling face first to the dirt, Cirno not far away. Now behind where she once stood is the creature from Daiyousei's nightmares, the figure which represented such fear when she thought of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. While they might have been sisters, the younger had a healthier complexion and was slightly taller. That blond hair, red dress, ghoulish wings, and unbridled power were absolutely unmistakable. It was Flandre Scarlet.

"That's no fun," Flandre says to herself in her innocent, childlike voice, "my stuffed bunnies back home can take more of a beating."

While it might have been difficult if it was just the one vampire, now that the sister's emerged the situation is beyond hopeless. Realizing her helplessness the fairy begins to cry.

"Why?" Daiyousei asks through her sobs and tears. "Why can't you just leave us alone? Cirno might be a bit of a handful, but she's a good person! She's never done anything to intentionally harm anyone!"

Despite the fairy's desperate struggles, Remilia's grip on her wrist doesn't budge the slightest millimeter.

"You're right," Remilia tells her. "She hasn't done anything wrong and she doesn't deserve what's happening to her. When she was up and running around she was the funniest little idiot fairy. For being as powerless as she was, it was surprising exactly how many immensely powerful figures knew of her. Everyone thought of her kindly and I doubt a single person ever carried ill-feelings towards her."

"Then-" Daiyousei tried to speak.

"However! Everyone made a grave mistake. You see, Cirno isn't a fairy at all. She's something else. Something much greater. Youkai? God? Maybe even a jötunn (frost giant). We don't know, and because we don't know is why we need to take action."

Screaming, "What difference does it make what she is? Cirno is Cirno and that will never change!"

"But you see, the important thing is that nobody can fight their nature. I myself am a vampire and I can never be anything else. No matter how hard I try, if I fast or search for alternatives, I have to drink blood to survive. Nothing will ever change that. In Cirno's case, her nature seems to be something much worse. All the animals run and hide, all the plants are dying. Tell me, what is it in her nature that causes this carnage?" she's begun to raise her voice. "As you say, I'm certain Cirno would never wish to truly harm anybody! But look at what's happening! She isn't even awake and she's wrecking Gensokyo! Even if she is good and pure, even if everybody loves her, even if she is without sin, if it's to save the my loved ones I will commit an unspeakable evil and destroy her!"

Turning to her sister, "Flandre! Break her!"

This sudden command catches Flandre off-guard, but even after realizing what's being asked of her, she's still confused, "What? Why? The funny fairy isn't-"

"I said BREAK her!"

"Don't!" Daiyousei screams with all her heart. "Stop! Cirno hasn't done anything wrong! You can't do this!"

"Sister," and Flandre appears very sad, "I don't like this. She's just sitting there helpless. It won't be any fun."

Insubordination never sat well with Remilia, but time and again she'd let it go because they were over trivial things. Not this time. Even if the subject under her command wasn't her maid or her friend, she would not take this from her own sister.

"Flandre," her words are slow and somewhat condescending, "our entire lives I've barely asked you for anything, but when I have it's because it very important. What I want you to do right now is even more important than all of that put together. I've told you to break her, and you will not disobey me."

Even if the younger sister was stronger in every conceivable aspect, the scolding tone of an elder sibling was a primal, inescapable weakness. Even Flandre wasn't immune to it's effects.

"Okay," weakly agreeing.

"No! Stop it! Cirno!"

Amidst Daisyousei's cries for her friend, Flandre, with a lonely profile, approaches the sleeping fairy. Cirno lays there, just as she has for the past week, ever the picture of innocence. Lightly her petite chest rises and lowers as she sleeps. Lightly tousled is her blue hair, and with her blue and white dress she appears as someone precious. Six crystals of ice, three on each side, all form her "wings." Flandre remembers the "fairy's" ice blue eyes, nearly completely opposite of her own. They were bright bold, and full of life. Now Flandre sees her other "eye." She breaks it.

A crack appears in the center of Cirno's profile, making a sound so loud it even silences the hysterical Daiyousei. Slowly, at first, is spreads, splintering in countless directions as it stretches outward. Even peaceful through all this, the blue maiden continues to sleep as it reaches the furthest ends of her profile. Just before it full encompasses her, her body twists and distorts in disgusting directions. It's a vision so horrible it's immediately blacked out of Daiyousei's mind. A moment later Cirno's body shatters, the mist that was once her reflecting the pale light that remained from the crescent moon. The scene is tragically beautiful.

As the light breeze erases the final fragments of her friend's existence, Daiyousei screams from her soul. It's a frequency so high it can't be heard, or maybe the fairy has simply lost her voice. Her mouth is open wide and by all means does she look like she's sobbing, but no sound is produced. Only when she gasps for air does she even make any noise. Tears are falling from her cheeks in waterfalls.

And yet for some reason, Remilia has yet to let go of her wrist.

"It comes," she whispers.

Suddenly they are hit by an extreme torrent of wind, carried within it a freezing cold. Daiyousei and Flandre are hit unaware and they shield themselves, nearly falling over. Both the vampire's matching mob caps are lost in the distance. At it's source almost seems to be a will, like someone throwing a tantrum after witnessing an injustice. Frost has started to appear on the trees and the leaves are freezing. Gradually the area brightens as the icy surfaces begin to reflect moonlight. For several seconds does it last, but once over it doesn't stir again.

While the tears might have frozen of Daiyousei's face, she has since stopped crying. There was something familiar, comforting, and even warm in that freezing storm. At her original notion she couldn't help but become nostalgic, but even after thinking it through it only became more certain. Once she realizes the origin of the blast she knew her answer. That blast came from the direction of Misty Lake, home of her very best friend.

"Cirno," she says as the warm sensation of blood rushing to her face melts her tears. The fate she thought she witnessed seems to have never occurred, and relief instantly eases all her accumulated tensions since the moment she found Cirno sick. All her adventure, worries, and tears no longer seem to matter. It was as if she knew everything was going to be alright. At that moment she faints.

After the wave ceased Flandre began to shake. Not from the cold, but the overwhelming pressure she felt coming from it's origin. This couldn't have been a natural phenomenon, so it was only logical to believe that a person was it's cause. Once the fairy fainted and Remilia drops her on the ground, the sister begins to speak.

"Do you feel that-do you feel that!" she repeats in rushed speech. "It's, something big. They said, 'hello.' I want to, say 'hello' too. And I want to PLAY! It's, going to be FUN, be FUN!" Turning to Remilia with her eyes growing wider, "Hey sister, can, can we go? I want to go and play!"

Surveying her sister, Remilia is at least comforted with the fact that her kin is as nervous as she. It's just that they have different ways of dealing with tension. Normally it takes a while for Flandre to get this excited about an opponent, but just from that "greeting" she's already in a near rage. Every time she says "Play" she really means "Fight," and by "Fun" to her it's "Slaughter." While there are times she can be cheerful and bright, withdrawn and timid, most fearful of all was when she's impulsive and destructive. Such drastic switches in mood clearly point to a fragmented and disorderly personality. This was the price she paid for all her great power. Once she's like this even her ever-influential sister can't stop her. Even though permission was asked there was only one possible answer.

"Yes, sister," said Remilia Scarlet, head of the household, "we're both going to play. Now follow my lead. You don't want me to leave you behind."

"Yes!"

And she follows her lead, in this life and the next.

* * *

_Act 3, fin._

_So now we've finally returned to the point described in the prolog. Act 4 is where the fun starts. The real Marisa might have been absent in Act 3, but she'll make her immediate return in the first scene. Also will we have the actual history of Cirno revealed, in which I playfully dubbed "The Strongest Chapter" (I'm not really going to title it that). Cirno's been nothing more than a prop to this point, so I was really excited when I finally got to write her into scenes. Kinda odd that the title character doesn't actually make her introduction until the climax, but after that she'll literally steal the show.  
_

_Not much to really say after that point. Thank you for your patience of putting up with 3 acts just so we could return to Point A, but the story really starts to take wild turns from this point onward. I won't spoil too much but I just want to let you know that good things are in store. Until next time.  
_

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	19. Act 4 The Legend of Cirno

Act 4

The Legend of Cirno

What was too late

"-Remila Scarlet is going to die."

This was the proverbial gong signaling the opening of the contest. As fast as a boxer's jab the black and white magician throws her hand and sparks splash forth. Proving just as quick the wolf leaps to the side, then again at her in two successive bounds. He's too close and too fast for her to track without full comprehension of his speed. In a desperate attempt she tries to block, but this isn't an attack at all. Aiming at the broom in her right hand the wolf grasps it in his mighty jaw and successfully tears it away. The opening move goes to the wolf.

It became apparent that he feared her skyward mobility, so he took the vehicle that she could use to match him on ground with the speed she used in air. It would have been a disastrous disadvantage for him so it's no surprises this would be his first target. Still, just because she lost her flight doesn't mean she's out of the fight.

The magician begins to run to the side while channeling magic into her hands. Following, the wolf proves to be vastly superior on the ground. Sweat rolling down her brow and unsteady grin, it's clear Marisa realizes just how difficult this could prove to be. Leaping into the air she spins around and launches her magic at the spot where she used to be. With only so much time to charge only about a dozen or so stars form and shower the ground. First spitting out the broom, the wolf easily zig-zags through the attack and then leaps through the barrage in an attempt to tackle the woman. However, as the stars hit the ground they detonate. Causing explosions that aren't particularly grand, but with a multitude bursting all around him the wolf is trapped within their range. As his figure is lost in the bright flare, the magician can hear a yelp and she knows she landed a hit.

Her attack was two-fold; first was the damage of the attack and the second, explosion, crafted a gale force that pushed her while she was already in air. While dealing damage she also managed to put a great distance between them. This would greatly help to obstruct his advantage of speed.

Several seconds pass before the dust clears, but when it does the magician has come to discover her opponent is missing. Immediately remembering how terrified she'd been when he suddenly appeared behind her. She knew his skill of stealth could bring an instant end to this fight. Before he has the opportunity to capitalize on this ability she uses her Hakkero and points it towards the direction she used it before. A vast line of trees had already been decimated. Now she aims to the left.

"Master Spark!" she cries after chanting the incantation.

An eruption of magical energy once again devastates the landscape. All matter of trees and brush are toppled and sent to cinders. Once this path is clear she pulls the entire beam counter-clockwise, trampling everything in it's path. Unfortunately as she began to turn the output of the spell drops tremendously. Some of the vegetation the furthest away can withstand the blast, and before too long her magical artifact completely runs out of power. Everything becomes silent.

Wasting no time to catch her breath she sprints to the center of the clearing, a long stretch of land about 30 meters at it's widest. She heads for it's center.

As she manages to make it in one piece, she finally takes a moment to recover. Only about 15 meters separate her from the trees to her left and right. Because of the nature of the spell this clearing is far longer than it is wide, so it's clear space to her front and rear. If the wolf wants to come out and fight fair, then that's that, but if he's still trying to use his stealth then the only option would be to attack from behind the trees. So it became a question of left or right, the only possible options for a sneak attack.

Breathing heavily the magician does what she can to refill her lungs with fresh oxygen. Each second that passes she recovers further and her Hakkero recharges. Since that wolf liked to talk so much she had the time to use it again right at the beginning of combat. She used it when he first confronted her and now she used it again. Now he knows of it's limitations and won't allow it thrice. Every second that passes is him losing the advantage. He's surely to strike soon.

Some kind of shadow catches her attention to her left. Certain she sees something she turns and faces that way, focusing magic into her hands again. Once she's certain she's found it the "thing" suddenly turns. It might have fur as dark as a shadow and glowing yellow eyes, but it's not the wolf. It looks like a skull. As it approaches it picks up speed. At the least possible moment Marisa dives to the side, avoiding harm.

At that moment the wolf is immediately behind her. A decoy tactic, he feigned from the left and actually came from right. Realizing the trap the magician frantically sought a way to dodge the magic from the front and the attacker from the rear, but the brilliance of the execution left no room for error. In a desperate attempt the woman swings with only her fist, not having the time to cast an actual spell.

Twice the size of a normal wolf, the magician believes this creature to weigh about two of her and a half, and also, since she wasn't the kind to do pushups every morning, he was also considerably physically stronger. So when she knocks the wolf out of the air with only her fist she's greatly surprised.

No, not only did she hit it with her fist, but a fist infused with magic. It's true that when channeling magic your body hardens, specifically your hands depending on the type of magic, but it's effect shouldn't have been that great without casting a specific enhancement. However, the exception is when opposite attributes collide. Since the wolf took so much damage that meant he was naturally weak against her star element magic. This was critical information! A winning strategy is formulating in her mind.

Unfortunately he knew this from the moment of her first strike, long before her. Realizing there was a genuine possibility that his decoy might fail, he left a present for her. The magician in her new-found confidence fails to notice the smoke coming from her own shadow.

Before he himself hits the ground, the magician's shadow explodes. Completely unaware she's also unguarded. The damage is critical. Screaming from the sudden blast the magician is launched into the air and crashes into the ground like a doll. Of the two combatants the one who'd taken the most damage in that exchange is clear. Barely can she find the strength to roll to her back, and when she does she finds the heavily injured, heavily panting wolf standing above her.

"Ow," she moans, perhaps not exaggerating, "I guess this is it, huh?"

"You are just way the hell too stubborn, Marisa Kirisame," says the wolf.

"I guess I was just born that way, ze."

"Does Remilia Scarlet mean so much to you that you would struggle this hard?"

"Not really," and it seems she's being truthful, "but she's a friend of my friend, so that means I have to at least try to protect her."

"Oh, and who is your friend?"

He's talking too much again. As long as Marisa can keep him going she might be able to do something. Maybe fire her Master Spark one final time.

"Patchy. She manages the library in the vampire's mansion. I borrow books from her all the time."

"Don't you mean 'steal?'" he hisses as he laughs. "I've heard what some of the others say about you, and it's none too flattering. But in my opinion it's unwarranted."

"I don't know if I should be offended or flattered, ze, but thanks nonetheless. Since I answered one of your questions, why don't you answer one of mine. Why do you want Remilia to die?"

"Fair enough," he snorts. "Remilia Scarlet is the one currently holding Cirno. If she learns segments of the truth she'll rush to judgment, and if not I'll handle that myself. She'll attempt to destroy Cirno, but as we both know that would be impossible for her. However, I doubt she would admit defeat and would fight unto death."

"So it's not that you want her to die, but you want her to destroy Cirno's body?"

"Yes and no. For Cirno to transform she first needs to shed her skin. The reason she's been sick this long is because the 'ice fairy' Cirno has been forcibly holding back her transformation. If given enough time the 'ice fairy' may succeed and remain in her childish form. But if the body is broken at least once the 'ice fairy' will lose control and the transformation will truly begin. But if it's just needs to be destroyed, anyone could be the candidate. I could do it myself. There's a specific reason why it needs to be Remilia.

"Remilia has the ability to manipulate fate, so she is perhaps the sole person able to prevent Cirno from awakening other than Cirno. However, if I push her into a duel she cannot win it will guarantee Cirno's awakening. The vampire's manipulation power is only so strong, so once her life and death struggle has escalated to a certain point it'll already be too late."

After thinking about it for a moment, "But that really doesn't answer my question, ze. Cirno would awaken anyway if the vampires were never involved in the first place. Remilia only has to die in _your_ scenario."

"You're right, I still haven't answered your question. Cirno's awakening is only a means to a end. But I feel I've already given you enough hints, so I'll let you figure out the rest."

"That's no fair, ze," Marisa complains.

"You underestimate yourself, Marisa Kirisame, but fine. One last hint. If Remilia were to die fighting Cirno, what would be the result?"

"What result?" she thinks aloud. "Well, it'd be kind of embarrassing, but-" and then it hits her; this is exactly the same situation she faced at the end of the Great Fairy Wars. Embarrassing, yes, but if she exposed what really happened, then, "Everyone would _know_ just how strong she really is! You want everyone in Gensokyo to rally against Cirno!"

"Correct. I knew you could do it."

"But why?"

"Tsk tsk tsk," and when the wolf makes that sound, it sounds all too human, "You asked your one question, and you have your one answer. If that answer only leads to more questions, than that's just too bad. I haven't been the bit deceitful, so you have no reason to complain, no?"

This conversation is getting into dangerous territory. By further reasoning it's obvious that he wants all of Gensokyo to wage war against one person. But for what purpose? The words he said, "You underestimate yourself," made the woman think she should be able to solve that riddle as well.

"Oh great detective," he says as if reading her mind, "I've spoken with you long enough."

Now or never! As quickly as possible she reaches for her Hakkero and fires. Except she doesn't. She can't move! The wolf is merely standing above her, he isn't pinning her down. So why can't she move?

"Oh, did you finally notice? Whilst I stand on your shadow I pin you in place. Did you think I'd allow you to fire that dangerous artifact a third time? No, I made sure you can't."

"You're one sadistic mongrel, you know that? You let me think I have hope and you just toy with me."

Unlike before he doesn't respond immediately. It seems those words upset him.

"Twas not my intention."

"Finish me off already, ze."

"'Finish you off?' What matter of beast do you take me for? Never would I 'toy' with you!"

"Than why the hell have you been telling me all these things? And simply because you're _chatty_ isn't going to cut it as an answer."

Taking a moment of silence, measuring his words, "Everything I do is for the sake of my ultimate mission. This conversation included. Through speaking to you I've memorized your personality, speech patterns, and I've learned about your contact in the vampire's mansion. Even your questions that I've answered will serve me in the end. As I've said, our time together is at an end. Now, sleep."

Cast over the body of Marisa, the wolf's own shadow suddenly begins to grow. Already can't she move, but with the growth of the shadow she begins to feel completely detached. Like she's being swallowed from the inside out. Cold fingers tap around inside her body, tearing away every piece of her. That fear she felt when first approached by the wolf returns, but now she knows it's name. In her life she's come to know Gods, Demons, Monsters, and Youkai. This, what stands above her now, is something else, something unknown. What she feels now is a fear so deeply embedded in her soul it's primal. The youkai that flee underground in fear of the End of the World, this is what they feel. This creature known as Hati will too draw an end to the world.

Just before the shadow covers her entire form, Marisa screams.

And then there is nothing.

After the bell tolls

Marisa screams.

"Whoa!" yells someone who just happens to be nearby.

Startled, Marisa stops for a moment and tries to assess the situation. First thing she notices is she's not dead. Second thing is that wolf, Hati, is nowhere to be found. Third, she isn't where she was before. At the moment she appears to inside a cave. Nearly does this look a den in which a bear would hibernate; fairly shallow without venturing too deep into the mountain. They are near the mouth of the cave and the faintest light of the morning sun brushes the sky orange. Now to whom she surprised when walking up screaming.

It's a woman of above average height. Her skin is pale, almost porcelain. White hair lightly feathered with a hue or purple and deep blue eyes. It's clear to her identity because, before Marisa was interrupted by the wolf, she was staring right at her. Also hiding behind her back is a blond fairy completely gowned in white.

"Letty, Lily," Marisa finally manages to calm down. "What happened?"

Seeing that the patient has calmed down, Letty places a hand over her chest and takes a deep breath, lowering her own accelerated heart rate. Next she ruffles the fairy's hair as if to tell her, "It's alright."

"Actually, I was hoping you could tell me that. It's still the middle of Spring and I'm up and walking around. I know something like this has happened before," she's referring to the Perfect Cherry Blossom incident, "but it doesn't feel the same this time. I'm awake, but I can't use my magic. Also," she places a hand of Lily White's back and gently nudges her forward, "this one and myself should never be awake at the same time. We could be the same age and it's the first time we've seen one another."

Scratching her head, Marisa knows that it'll be too troublesome to explain, "That would take too long, ze. What's more important is that you tell me what happened to me."

Grimacing, Letty doesn't like that attitude, but realizes Marisa might be right, "I was walking around in a haze when I bumped into Lily right here. She told me you'd been fighting a wolf so I came to see what was going on. I saw the wolf on top of you, but since I can't use my magic I couldn't help. You two were talking about something, but I couldn't hear. Next thing I know you scream and fall asleep. After that the wolf approached me and told me to look after you until you awoke. So I took you and Lily and we've been sitting here ever since."

That wolf was certainly a curious creature, enough to want her to think there's something noble about him, but Marisa won't forget the fear she felt when facing him. She'll never forget.

"How long was I sleeping for?"

"It's been a day and a half. Two nights."

Two days? There's a high chance that it's already too late for Remilia. Still, she had to try.

Standing up and dusting herself off, she faces her two caretakers, "You want to know what's going on? Follow me. You'll figure it out when we get there, and you might actually be able to put a stop to it."

While yuki-onna didn't seem too enthused, the fairy becomes very excited. Taking Marisa for her word they follow.

Stepping outside the cave the magician comes to understand it's too late. Half of the horizon lay covered in snow, like a giant snowball had suddenly been dropped on Gensokyo. It was slightly chilly, but it shouldn't have been cold enough for snow.

"That happened last night," Letty tells her. "There was some fierce fighting around here somewhere, but I couldn't tell where from. It seemed to have wrapped up less than an hour ago."

It's as she thought, Remilia is gone. Hati's prediction was followed to a T. Soon the news of the vampire's demise will spread throughout Gensokyo and the war against Cirno will begin. So what is Marisa to do? A casualty has already been made, so is it too late to stop what's to come? Maybe Cirno has already awakened, and is only taking a break before she destroys the world.

No, Marisa herself knows better. There's still time. It might be too late for Remilia, but it's not too late for the world and it might not be too late for Cirno. As to how she needs to proceed, it's still unclear and perhaps too much for her to envision alone. Hati wants everyone to start a battle with Cirno, so at the very least she knew she didn't want that flee-bag to have his way. So the ones to be most effected by the news will undoubtedly be those who remain at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. That would be a good place as any to start her revolution.

Letty had gone back to retrieve the magician's broom while she was sleeping, so they could take off right away. Leaving the cave they take to the skies, the trio flying with whatever powers they have available to them.

They don't have to go far to see the results of the fight which occurred last night. Trees were toppled, smoke's rising, and impact craters litter the landscape like crumbs on the floor of Marisa's home. And somehow through all of this snow blankets the land as if it could care less about the squabbles of youkai. Then again, this wasn't too far removed from the normal everyday activities of Gensokyo. Perhaps once a year an incident occurs that can drastically change the landscape. It might still be a day or two before people realize it's worth the effort to investigate. As long as she can curb the tide and calmly plan how to handle the situation, she can prevent hasty actions from being made and avoid the worst case scenario.

However, the worst case scenario soon becomes blatantly apparent. As the trio near the mansion they came upon Misty Lake. It now lay frozen, and someone calmly hovers above the spectacle as if it were the most natural thing. If the character's blue color scheme didn't make it obvious who it was, the wings of ice surely did.

"Is that Cirno?" Letty questions.

This is bad. Simply by herself the perpetrator's making it obvious that all the mayhem was her doing. Brilliant minds aren't required to come to that conclusion. Even if they don't start a fight right off, they'll surely investigate.

Lily clutches the hems of Letty's dress as she flies alongside her, "It feels like it's her. She feels like she's the one killing Spring."

"What?" clear in her tone, she's skeptical. "You can't be serious. Cirno's just an ice fairy."

Suddenly Letty breaks away from the group.

"Wait!" Marisa hysterically shouts.

Immediately the magician diverts from her path and rushes to head-off the yuki-onna. Before too much distance is covered she does so.

"What?" Letty doesn't seem amused by the interruption.

"You can't go over there!"

"Why not? It's just Cirno."

"Because right now she's strong enough to take out Remilia Scarlet," she couldn't say. If she spun a tale that seemingly outlandish it will probably only provoke Letty. In the end the two of them were similar types of youkai (if Cirno _is_ a youkai). Should Letty become jealous or even tempt Cirno, there's no way the three will be able to escape unscathed, if they even can escape.

"We need to get to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. We don't have the time to get sidetracked," is the only possible reason as to why they couldn't check in on the fairy.

"What's so special about there?"

She'd heard before from Eirin, so, "Patchouli's leading the investigation into this incident. If you and Lily give your testimony to her then we'll be that much closer to getting everything solved."

"You need to stop this," came the faint voice of someone to her rear.

Rapidly turning Marisa sees that Lily White had somehow passed her and is currently facing Cirno. The two fairies are of roughly equal height.

"Crap!" Marisa curses as she charges forward hoping to prevent a confrontation.

Meanwhile Lily continues pleading, "This isn't a game. You need to stop this, Cirno. If you keep going like this Spring will be gone forever. If Spring is gone all the plants and animals will eventually die. So you have to stop."

With child-like innocence Lily speaks to Cirno in her soft-spoken voice. Nearly is it hard to take her seriously, but the concern in her voice is very real. She sounds like a mother trying to scold her child without being in any means aggressive. It's hard to hear this without feeling sympathy.

Marisa soars at her highest speed, but gradually slows as she notices the most peculiar thing. Other than the talking, nothing is happening. By all the evidence it appears as if Cirno and Remilia fought, yet in the face of this fairy there isn't a hint of hostility.

Closing in, Cirno seems completely unresponsive. Merely does she hover in place with her eyes closed, lightly breathing. It appears as if she's asleep.

Coming to a halt by Lily's side, Marisa indeed concludes that Cirno is asleep. Is she really the cause of this incident?

"What should I do?" the fairy is on the verge of tears. "She won't listen to me!"

When people don't agree or listen to each other, in Gensokyo, these conflicts are settled through fighting or danmaku. Lily, who loves nothing more than raving about Spring, probably has never started a fight in her life. If she can't convince someone with words she comes to a complete impasse.

"There there," Marisa feels like she's handling a toddler, "we should really meet with Patchouli so we can figure this out."

"Cirno," the two are now joined by Letty, "what happened to you?"

Letty places a hand on Cirno's shoulder. No sooner then she does a icicle spike separates it. At the last moment the woman manages pull away before the projectile takes her hand. Of the obvious suspect Cirno hadn't budged, so rapidly the three search for the culprit. Quickly do they notice that there really isn't one, but that doesn't mean they're any safer.

"Oh crap," Marisa curses again.

Overhead, hundreds, if not thousands, of icicles are forming and positioning themselves. They appear with lightning speed and aim with an evil cruelty. As to why they aren't attacking, none of them have the slightest idea. All are too nervous to even move, as if they believe the slightest motion would call forth the onslaught.

"Marisa," Letty's voice is far calmer than her nerves could possibly be, "I think you should have explained a bit more before we left the cave."

"Ze," is all that she can do to respond.

As if awaiting the punchline, the first wave fires. Letty separates herself from Cirno, and Marisa grabs Lily and takes flight on her broom. These missiles' targets and paths are fairly straightforward. As danmaku it's a somewhat boring pattern, but their speed and sheer overwhelming numbers make them very dangerous. Marisa fairs well even with an extra passenger. Lily, who's least apt at battles, could never survive something of this level on her own. Thankfully she's a fairy and weighs practically nothing. Otherwise they'd be having problems.

By far is Letty slower than Marisa, but the yuki-onna, snow woman, shouldn't particularly need to fear attacks based from ice. Most she can avoid, but she takes more than her share of hits. If this was a judged battle she'd most definitely have lost, but this is nothing like such contest and is a exhibition of brute force. In that case, since the two share the same element, it would have been a very low-damage struggle. Icicles pierce Letty's arms, shoulders, and back, but the injuries don't seem to effect her very much. Even if it looks painful every time she's hit the youkai's face doesn't even cringe.

Wave after wave is launched without so much as a break or a moment to reload. Completely relentless in it's savagery, this aggression seems without limit nor end. Riding her broom like a surfboard the magician has speed and maneuverability enough to avoid each and every of the thousands of spears, but the amount of concentration needed to do so continuously is staggering. Mental fatigue is quick to set in and she builds a drenching sweat in very short order. Lily clutches to her chest tightly, and the damp sensation Marisa feels makes her think the fairy is crying. Or at least she hopes she's crying.

A shard grazes her broom. Immediately her stability is compromised and she wobbles while trying to regain control. This is the absolute last thing she could have wanted. While trying to remain afloat she must also continue to dodge the bullets of ice. While she can't move as she wishes everything is left to hopes and prayers, or in other words, dumb luck.

Another shard hits the tip of her broom, and suddenly her feet are over her head.

Expelled from her craft she's in an uncontrolled decent while spears of icy doom rain around her. Even without the aid of her broom she can fly, but with her current speed and velocity she'd actually slow considerably once she was fully in control. The way Marisa saw it if she could make it to the ground in one piece, more or less, she can find cover and have a moment to think. In the air there is no cover. Clutching Lily as tightly as possible the magician lowers her head and rides her fate.

When Marisa/Lily hit the snow, the white powder burst as if it victim of an explosive. Her crash landing was actually surprisingly soft, at least the initial impact. After hitting the ground the pair actually bounce and threaten to do so again. Keeping her wits about her Marisa focuses magic into her hand and casts her quickest spell. Nowhere was it damaging, but the spell does act as a propellant; both steadying her velocity and greatly lessening the impact from hitting the ground a second time. After a few moments she's actually sliding across the snow as if she were on a sled. Continuing with her momentum she glides until she reaches the treeline, where she releases her magic, rolls to a stop, then dives behind a thick oak. For the moment she is safe.

Actually, she was safer for much longer than that. About the time she first made contact with the snow, attacks directed at her and the fairy ceased. What should have been most obvious with a stationary target is that once you were outside it's range it will basically ignore you. Once she was on the ground she's outside Cirno's range, rendering Marisa's mad scramble unnecessary.

Marisa too discovered this as soon as she takes a moment to catch her breath and peek from cover.

"Cirno's not attacking us anymore," she observes. "Is it because we're out of range or what?"

Letty still seems to be struggling with the attacks, but she has since come to notice that she's now the only target. While dodging and taking hits, she gradually makes her way to Marisa. When she does Cirno no longer has a target, and all hostile actions cease.

"Are you okay, ze?" Marisa asks Letty, who looks more like a pin cushion than a yuki-onna.

Pierced over all parts of her body, Letty would appear more amongst the ranks of the dead than the living. Icicles sprout from her like a hedgehog, but for the most part she doesn't appear shaken at all.

"I'm fine," and she gives herself a good shake, and all the spikes fall off her and shatter like broken glass. "The moment I touched her, I felt my powers returning, I had just enough time to cast a frost barrier over myself and her attacks did little to me."

True. Cirno's element may be ice, but spears of ice were still a physical-based spell. To cancel out the physical aspect of the missiles she'd need a shield. Had a portion of Letty's powers not returned she wouldn't be with them now.

"Cirno only attacks when confronted," Marisa concludes. "As long as we don't mess with her she'll leave us alone."

This explains how Lily was able to get so close without being harmed, and why only when Letty touched Cirno did the attacks come.

"And when you guys left," Letty adds, "the focus on me didn't really get any stronger."

"So the more we fight her the more she fights back."

"Is that really _Cirno_?" Marisa couldn't tell if that was doubt or surprise in her voice.

"Yes, and you don't have the luxury of not believing me. Where she's been hiding that kind of power till now I have no idea, but since very recently she's letting everybody know. Things are much worse than just losing Spring, so unless you want to try and test Cirno again I suggest we get to the Scarlet Devil Mansion."


	20. What they Face

Another Marisa

From atop the balcony, in Remilia's favorite afternoon chair, Patchouli Knowledge watched the entire fight unfold. And there she stays. Hours after her friend's demise she's lost the will to live and is completely motionless. At times she's been checked on by her familiar Koakuma and her new personal guard Meiling, but otherwise she seems more like a corpse than a living being. Eyes swollen from the tears she's shed, but then again the other two in the manor were exactly the same. Once the others awake from the spell cast upon them by their late master, she'd likely go through that all over again.

"Patchy," and despite saying she wished to be alone, a hand is placed on her shoulder and gently nudges her awake, "we have a visitor."

Patchouli doesn't acknowledge Meiling, but does stir from her position. Opening her eyes she's welcomed by a bright morning as the snow reflects the sun. In the not so terrible distance a figure is rapidly approaching. There are two others, but they don't even register in her mind once she recognizes the one in the lead. It's _her_, the one who previously fooled the magician and set this chain of events into motion. Retrieving her spellbook which had been resting on the table to her side, Patchouli goes to welcome her guest.

She says "hello" by spraying the intruder with a hail of fire. The balls emerge from her finger and initially spread in all directions, but after a certain distance they alter course and target the intruder. Not even waiting for the results of her attack, Patchouli turns the page and cants another spell. Dozens of daggers of ice shoot from her hand all headed in a straightforward direction, and at incredible speeds. And as if she's lost interest in it, the magician turns the page again and readies something new.

From the other side of the battlefield cries are directed to the magician, but she doesn't hear them nor feels the obligation to. Only for the briefest moments does she raise her eyes from the pages to once again locate the intruder. What the intruder might have to say couldn't be important, so Patchouli begins her incantation.

Rising from her rear, rays of the morning sun suddenly condense and become visible beams. As the rays narrow from where they hit the snow on the ground steam rises. At a certain size they stop and fires ignite at their ends. Slowly they begin to move.

Turning the page Patchouli readies yet another spell. Reaching for her pocket the magician produces a gem and-

Soaring through the sky at great speed, narrowly dodging everything that was thrown at her, the intruder tackles Patchouli, knocking her to the ground and sending the book of spells hurling several meters away. While she might have been a top class magician and not completely helpless without her book, her poor health and near-nonexistent stamina makes her a trifle of a spell-caster without tools. If brought to physical combat she hadn't a prayer.

Cries erupt from the intruder's mouth, but Patchouli can't seem to hear. Almost as if in a wondrous daze she merely watches the intruder loom over her.

"-chy, Patchy, Patchy!"

Something seems to trigger, and all of a sudden Patchouli can understand what's being said. Not that it matters.

"What do you want, you fake," Patchouli accuses without a hint of emotion in her voice. Her speech is listless with forlorn resignation. "Are you going to whisper in my ear again and have me send another one of my friends to the grave? If you're looking for someone to do your dirty work, just do it yourself. If you're here to kill me, get it over with already."

The intruder reels, wounded by the words. At first she holds an expression of horror, but slowly that molds and transforms into anger. It appears as if at any moment she might deliver a final blow. Her breathing becomes heavier as she seems to struggle with her resolve. With haste and sheer aggression her head falls upon Patchouli, her lips locking the other's.

Five seconds pass. Ten seconds.

As oxygen ceases entering her lungs Patchouli's apathetic state washes away. No longer detached the librarian of the Scarlet Devil Mansion suddenly becomes aware of her surroundings and what's happening to her. Straddling her like some molester, Marisa has pinned Patchouli to the ground and is kissing her. Victim of a gift she does not want, Patchouli begins to kick and flail her arms about. Marisa has her eyes closed and seems to be enjoying the sensation, while Meiling merely sits there dumbstruck as if she doesn't know what to do. Wasn't she supposed to be her guardian?

"Pwah!" Marisa pulls herself away as if she just remembers that she needs to breathe. With an oddly satisfied grin she wipes the drool from the corner of her mouth and says, "You back to normal now?"

"Get off me!" Patchouli screams as she tries to claw herself away (nowhere is she near strong enough to throw Marisa off her).

"Right," and the black magician rolls away, "you came at me all creepy looking that I didn't know what to do. I thought a good morning morning _chu_ would do the trick, ze."

Rapidly brushing away at her mouth with her forearm, somehow Patchouli gets out the words, "You, you, you heathen!"

After a laughing fit by Marisa, and Patchouli lambasting Meiling for allowing that to happen, words spoken by the magician brings everything into focus,

"That wolf pretended to be me, right?"

Hearing this, Patchouli's suddenly reminded of the situation. Turning back to Marisa, "Somebody took your form. This wolf, I guess, gave us some information about Cirno. He told us that Cirno was transforming into some kind of greater being and was going to destroy the world."

"That isn't exactly false," Marisa explains, "but isn't the whole truth either. If you take a look at the two behind me I think you'll understand."

Only now does Patchouli realize that Marisa didn't come alone. Looking past the magician she saw two individuals that didn't fit together. Letty Whiterock and Lily White, known through their acquaintance with Sakuya Izayoi. Seeing them both up and together adds a large piece to the puzzle. Hearing from these three would hopefully provide a solution to this world-crisis, and perhaps give value to Remilia and Flandre's sacrifices.

"Let's take this inside," Patchouli suggests. "This is no place to discus the fate of the world."

At the great collection of knowledge

"Both Remilia _and_ Flandre?" Marisa suddenly became very terrified. At most she heard that the elder vampire had fallen, but to hear the team consisting of both siblings were defeated; the magician didn't know what to think. Only for a minute did she herself fend against Cirno, but to think she held this much power, all of it was truly frightening. If there was any solace it's that the wolf's plan didn't exactly go as intended, but to lose one of the most stupidly powerful figures in Gensokyo was hardly recompense.

"Yes," Patchouli continues. "As you have seen, Remi cast a spell on the others, but Meiling, Koakuma, and myself watched the fight from afar." As she recollects, her voices begins to break, "It was-"

"Let's not talk about that now!" Marisa could tell that the librarian might again lose it, so she put a stop to it before she goes too far. "I can pretty much figure out what happened with Remilia and Flandre, so we can cover the specifics later. What we need to do now is discuss what we know about Cirno, and pretty much what's going on around Gensokyo."

Wiping at her eyes with her long sleeves, Patchouli takes a deep breath and nods, "Agreed. As far as we can all figure, Cirno is at least 1500 years old, presumable ancient, but around 1500 years ago she transformed into the ice fairy that we know of today. You could say she split into two. While the ice fairy was in control the original slept and recovered her energy. Now after all this time the original is trying to wake up. Does this sound correct to you?"

Agreeing, "That's about right, ze."

"So what more do you have to add?"

"Well, as you can tell, Letty Whiterock and Lily White are both awake. One is only active in Winter and the other in Spring. For them both to be up and active shouldn't be possible. But if you look at it another way, it's both Spring and Winter at the same time. Can you think of an explanation for this?"

"I can think of a few, yes. My first theory is that Gensokyo is in a transient stage; the season is moving backwards towards Winter. If that were the case than I can see that the two of them are up and about at the same time."

Marisa snickers, easily offending the knowledgeable librarian, "Considering that one incident when Spring was being absorbed, I can see why you think that way. However! Seeing that it's already Spring and now moving backwards you can't think that way. Here at the mansion it's pretty cold-"

Seeing as how the surrounding lake is frozen and snow covers the ground, that much should be obvious.

"-but the further out you travel the warmer it gets. So Winter is spreading with Cirno as it's source. At least that's _your_ theory. But Letty was already up before any of this happened, so therefore the explanation is simple! It's already Winter!"

Dumbfounded was the only word one could use to describe Patchouli's expression. "That doesn't make sense. First off it's not cold enough-"

"Tsk tsk tsk," and Marisa waves her finger, seemingly enjoying this very much, "have you already forgotten what _else_ has been happening around Gensokyo? Let's start with the youkai. First they were all acting crazy attacking everything that moves. In the first place, why do youkai attack others? For food. They were all trying to fill their bellies so they wouldn't have to worry about starving. What next? They start heading underground and into caves. Why do creatures normally do that? Hibernation. So if you think from the point of view of the lesser youkai, you're confused and scared because Winter, which had already ended, was now here again. If you think like that it's totally reasonable! Although, I think the seasonal flowers withering first should have been the biggest hint."

Actually, that made a lot of sense. Creature who lack intelligence rely on instinct. By some sense that can't be understood by the intelligent, they could feel a drastic change in the season before the idea is recognized by the humans and greater youkai. That might not be true in all cases, but it would for the overwhelming majority.

"If you think about the _scale_ of the Winter that was coming, it's not hard to understand why they would freak out."

Her expression made Patchouli wince, "The scale of Winter?"

Nodding like she's very proud of herself, "Yes! But before that, let's go back a step. Winter is already here, that much we can agree on, but what about Lily White and Spring? After all, you can't have two seasons coexisting at the same time. So Winter has spread throughout Gensokyo already, so what's next?"

Patchouli doesn't like how Marisa's playing with her, but she's more upset with herself that this scatterbrain is already leagues ahead of her own investigation. She has to dance by the human magician's tune.

"Next would be the-" and then it hit her. Her eyes go wide at her realization and darts out of her chair, standing on her feet, "the world! Yukari-"

"Exactly! That gap-youkai completely sealed Gensokyo from the rest of the world, or let's say it's why she sealed Gensokyo from the rest of the world. It's Winter here on the inside, but it's still Spring on the outside! The seasons aren't exclusive to either world, so when it's one on the outside it's the same on the inside. This contradiction is what gave rise to the phenomenon of Letty and Lily being awake at the same time!"

Just about all of the mysteries have been solved, except one, "You said the scale of Winter. This has to do with the End of the World rumor, doesn't it?"

That invincible grin Marisa's been carrying finally falters. Not because she doesn't know the answer, but because she does.

"Yes. If you think about Winter, all it really is is the time when the Earth is farthest away from the Sun. It doesn't necessarily mean that it has to be cold. Depending on the circumstances it could be warmer than Autumn or even Spring. It's been Winter for a while now and we intelligent ones haven't even noticed. But the youkai that survive from instinct did, and from the offset they went absolutely berserk. So if you think of a massive Winter, what would that be?"

An idea came to Patchouli, but she couldn't say it aloud. It was crazy and impossible, but no matter how desperately she sought another explanation that idea couldn't leave her thoughts. Hands start to tremble, her body heat rises, and sweat accumulates from her brow. Unconsciously her body sways and she realizes she's about to lose her balance. Reaching for her chair, she slowly lowers herself and sits. Her speech has nearly no power and her words escape, broken and frightened. She says,

"Ice age."

This time Marisa doesn't congratulate her friend for her correct answer. "It doesn't have to be fast. It doesn't have to start in some giant snowstorm that will blanket the sky for years. It can be slow, gradual. It might not be terribly cold right now, but it will get there eventually. And it will stay that way."

"How," Patchouli slumps back in her chair, "how can _Cirno_ have that kind of power?"

Shaking her head dismissing the notion, Marisa tells her, "It's not 'how can Cirno have this kind of power' but 'why didn't she have this power?' It's always existed in her in the first place, but because of self-imposed limitations or incomplete knowledge of herself, Cirno hasn't had the ability to freely draw from that awesome well of power until now. You said you saw her fight with Remilia and Flandre; what did you see?"

Perhaps the only time this question could be asked is now. If she had forced herself to before, she definitely would have broken down and started crying again. Considering the circumstances, however, it made her realize that things much greater than herself are at stake. Did Remilia know this as well? Was this the reason she offered her sister and herself as sacrifices? How many others already knew about her demise, and the perpetrator behind the act? The role she had given herself was terrible, but to Patchouli it was a chance and opportunity to save the entire world. How cruel her friend could be even after she was gone.

"It was terrible," she speaks with a tone clear enough for any to understand. "Remi and Flan destroyed Cirno over and over. I've never seen her be so cruel in the over 50 years I've known her. Cirno's attacks were relentless, but they were nothing for the vampires completely in their element. But every time Cirno was shattered, she'd come right back, somehow a little stronger. She'd fight, get destroyed, revive, and then retaliate. That cycle continued for hours, but as it dragged on Cirno's deaths became less frequent, and her attacks more devastating. It was like Cirno didn't care about her body at all, and simply rebuilt herself with even less effort than her attacks. Actually, I'm certain that isn't her real body at all, but an interface or conduit for her to channel her power through. I don't know if her real body is elsewhere, or if she even has a real body, but I can't think of a way to truly destroy her."

After waiting a while and realizing Patchouli had the strength to say no more, Marisa gives her analysis, "I expected as much. Cirno isn't like those two immortals, and her powers are at the least equal to the Gods like Kanako and Suwako. But let me ask this final question; just how many Ice Ages has this planet Earth had?"

Patchouli doesn't budge.

"Five. In Earth's four and a half billion years, there have been five ice ages. If Cirno is the cause of our sixth, what's to say she wasn't responsible for the previous ones?"

A notion too frightening to comprehend. In Gensokyo there are a handful of creatures that have lived for thousands of years, but there were none who have lasted for millions, let alone billions of years. To them such a being is incomprehensible.

"How are we supposed to stop this?" Patchouli asks the only question that remains.

Leaning back in her chair, Marisa rests her arm on the table and her cheek on her hand, "I have no-"

"Master!" the red-haired demon familiar Koakuma bursts through the library doors. "Everybody's waking up!"


	21. Three Desires

The remains of friends

By opening her eyes she's greeted with an unfamiliar ceiling. Rising from her sleep the futon blanket slides off her naked form. In a rush she grabs her blanket to conceal herself, but after the daze of waking washes away she notices she's the only one in the room. It's very traditional in the Japanese sense; tatami floor mats and paper shouji screens for windows. It's a place she isn't the least bit familiar. Somewhat does this resemble the Hakurei shrine, but this structure is clearly that of a mansion. Looking around she finds a set of clothes that have been prepared for her.

Dragging the blanket with her she feels something weird on her back. Looking behind, past her golden wings, she sees her green hair flowing freely behind her. Her yellow ribbon she uses to tie it in a ponytail has disappeared. Perhaps it's with the rest of her clothes, but than again those weren't her clothes in the first place, merely what was prepared for her at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Unless it was thrown away, her favorite blue dress should still be there. Her ribbon, however, would be with the maid's uniform, wherever that may be.

For now she'd have to settle for this simple pink dress. It seemed designed for a child as it was a size which was obviously too small for her. She doubt it was meant to be insulting, perhaps this was merely the closest they have in her size. Unfortunately there were no slits in the back to accommodate her wings. She could make the alterations herself, but than she'd ruin the dress and insult her keeper's hospitality. Searching for an alternative she found a linen closet nearby. Nobody would miss these if these were personalized just for her.

Nearly half an hour later she exits the bedroom and looks around. Wrapped in sheets of the purest white, it was nearly a toga worn by the ancient Greeks. Most of the fabric was used to cover her front while her back was left completely bare. Not exactly the picture of modesty it allows coverings and free range of motion for her wings. Even if it was a little drafty, it will have to do.

As she wanders the hallways are looking increasingly familiar. Once someone crossed her path she immediately realizes where she is now. In front of her is a rabbit, so that must mean she's been returned to Eientei.

"Wawawawa, you're up!" the rabbit squeals.

"Can you take me to Miss Reisen or Dr. Eirin?"

"Ah! Yes!" the rabbit is blushing and seems incredibly nervous. "They're in Eirin-sensei's lab right now. I'll lead the way."

After being led to the lab she thanks the fairy and helps herself inside.

"Oh, you're up Dai-" and for a moment the moon rabbit is at a loss for words, "chan?"

Daiyousei floats in with her white make-shift dress flowing behind her. The way it loosely clings to her body one can tell the advanced physique which blessed this fairy. Her ample bosom is well-pronounced and the slit in her skirt reveals a long white leg. Even though full grown fairies resemble human children, the outline of her body, a thin waist and wide hips, she greatly resembled a fully mature adult despite her above-average fairy height. Her long green hair flowing freely only adds to her womanly appeal. It took Reisen more than a few moments to comprehend.

"I believe we provided one of Tewi's outfits for you," Eirin was the first to regain her composure.

"There was no slits for my wings," Daiyousei tells them flatly.

"It doesn't look like it would fit anyway," another voice pouts.

Looking past the doctor the fairy sees a familiar face. Last time she saw this person she was passed out on the table only on the other side of this room. It was Inaba Tewi. Daiyousei greets the familiar Earth rabbit by bowing her head.

"Miss Reisen," Daiyousei turns back to her original goal, "tell me what happened last night."

After the moon rabbit overcame her envy, she began, "Well, when I woke up both of us had been abandoned in the forest. I could hear the vampires making a lot of noise. When I went to see what was going on, they were fighting Cirno."

"Fighting Cirno" meant that Flandre couldn't destroy her friend. The last thing Daiyousei remembered was feeling something incredibly familiar, like the voice of her closest companion telling her that, "Everything will be alright." This she believes even now.

"Tell me what you saw."

Taken a bit back by her words, Reisen couldn't find any trace of the timid fairy she thought she knew. Not only in appearance, but it seems Daiyousei's also changed on the inside. Her presence dictates confidence and a hidden strength that wasn't before there.

"Well, they destroyed her, over and over again, but every time they did Cirno reformed herself and fought back even harder. It was too dangerous to just sit there and watch, so I picked you up and took you to Eientei. I've already told everyone what's happened, so we're trying to figure out what to do now."

"So what's happening now?"

"Well, a few rabbits have scouted Misty Lake and have returned. The fighting's over, but the lake's completely frozen and Cirno is sleeping above it. There's also a lot of snow in the surrounding area. We're not sure yet if we should get involved."

Eirin speaks out, "I think it's about time you explain to us what you know. We can assume the vampires have been defeated. This incident is much greater than a simple sick fairy, and given how much power she's displayed it's also clear that Cirno is the cause of all the havoc engulfing Gensokyo. As her closest friend I assume you know much more than you've told us, Daiyousei. It's time to come clean and tell us everything you know."

The heroin's(?) domain

"Those were some fierce fireworks last night," says the short orange-haired horned girl right before she takes a swig of her gourd. "I betcha that kept half of Gensokyo awake last night."

The priestess dressed in red and white sits atop her Offering Box, peering into the distance, "I guess."

"Everybody who heard it will likely clamor around to try and see what happened. Some of them might even voice their complaints to the one responsible."

"Yeah."

"Of course, your sleep was also disturbed, wasn't it? I mean, how can it not with the overview of the lake you get from the top of the steps to the shrine? Even from the roof I saw most of what was going on."

"And what were you doing on my roof?"

"Oh, and here I thought you weren't paying attention. Well, it's almost a new moon, so I thought I'd have a pre-moon viewing party."

"That's only for a full moon. Drinking towards a new moon isn't even a ritual. You were just looking for an excuse to drink sake."

"What can I say, I'm a trailblazer," she takes another swig. "If you drink sake without a reason, you're nothing more than a drunk."

"So why are you drinking right now? This early in the morning?"

After a final gulp she puts a quark on her gourd, "Because I'm probably going to need it. It's going to be a long day. It'll be very stressful if I don't have something to help take the edge off."

"Then shouldn't you wait till you _actually_ feel stress before you drink?"

"It's better to nip this problem in the bud."

Sighing, the red and white priestess leans back and lays on her offering box. Rolling over she tries to see if anythings been donated.

"Big news, big news!" shouts a voice in the distance.

In a very short amount of time she covers the gap and is behind the shrine maiden. It's the same black-winged tengu as before. Hanging by her hip is a satchel with many newspaper bundles, and in her hand is one such copy. The priestess disregards the newcomer and reaches her arm inside the box, feeling around for coins.

"'The Scarlet Sisters defeated above Misty Lake!' Read all about in the latest issue of the Bunbunmaru Newspaper!"

"Uh huh."

"It's true!" and the black winged woman pats her hand against a volume. "It's all right here. I even have a few snapshot I took. I'll admit it's not some of my best work, but it was very hard to even get these."

Promoted on the front page is a dark blurry image. Three beings are clearly depicted, and what looks like a rain of blue streaks speckling the landscape. Little does it resemble the vampires, but it's pretty clear that a group of people are duking it out.

"And does your _informative_ and _detailed_ article actually say who beat the vampires?" the priestess could actually read the paper, but apparently she thought it was more important to dig around for change.

"Well-" the reporter drags out her speech, "that's kinda the thing. I know this is going to sound crazy, and surely I'm mistaken, but it kinda looked like Cirno."

This garners no response from either of the two listening. The horned girl seems to be enjoying the exchange, while the priestess is still looking for change.

"You don't seem surprised," the reporter points out the obvious.

"Lots of crazy things happen in Gensokyo. An ice fairy suddenly becoming brokenly powerful shouldn't be that surprising."

The reporter sighs, "Now I know you're yanking my chain. You already know what's going on, don't you?"

"Not at all, right Suika?"

The horned girl replies, "Right Reimu."

"Then why aren't you guys surprised?"

"Well," Reimu Hakurei abandons her search and pulls herself upright, "everything Remilia does is flashy. That self-centered vampire brat wouldn't bring attention to herself unless she wanted to show something off. If not just her, but her and her sister were defeated by a single person, we have to understand that she allowed herself to be beaten so she can show off the face of her opponent. It's like she issued a challenge, daring anybody to beat the one that beat her. If you say the one who did this was Cirno, then that more than explains her actions. I don't know how it happened, but it seems Cirno is now one of the top players in Gensokyo. You might think it's crazy, but because Remilia and Flandre lost, it can't be crazy."

"Well, I guess that makes a lot of sense. What other insight might you have for this incident? If you have any more info it's not too late to insert an addendum."

"I'm not the person to ask. I'd say you should cut to the heart of the matter and head straight towards the Scarlet Devil Mansion, but I doubt they'll be willing to welcome guests, let alone a newspaper reporter, at the moment."

Placing her hands on her hips, "That's the funny thing. When I tried to go in there a couple of days ago it was locked up so tight a mouse couldn't squeak in. I passed by it right before I got here, and it looks like it's abandoned. It was dead outside."

"Then just leave it be. And haven't you spent enough time here? Don't you have more deliveries to make?"

The reporter gives Reimu a wink, "You know you're first on my route. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't inform you first every time there's an incident in Gensokyo."

"I'd wish you'd never inform me when something happens. Somehow I'm always the one cleaning it up. Now get going before I take one of your rolled up newspapers and smack you with it."

"So mean!"

"Shoo shoo!"

And with their pleasant exchange the reporter takes to the skies, lost in the distance in short timing.

Pushing herself off her donation box, Reimu does some light stretching. Likewise, Suika takes a stand.

"Well," says the oni, "what are you going to do? Going to try and take down the ice fairy that managed to whip the vampires? It sounds like fun."

"No," Reimu tells her as casually as if she declined a shopping date, "there's no point fighting if I know I'm going to lose. But you go ahead if you want to give it a try."

"If you're not going after Cirno, what are you going to do?"

"Well, I might have lied to Aya just a little bit. Remilia's message wasn't exactly 'I dare you to beat the one who beat me,' but, 'if I can't beat this one, than fighting isn't the answer.' When she's dead-serious about something, Remilia isn't one to relent. If she were giving it all and using every trick in her book, even you might not be able to beat her. Add Flandre, who's destructive impulses, incomprehensible power, and uncontrollable rage was being directed by her sister, and I don't think any combination of youkai could handle them. That both of them lost to Cirno means that fighting itself is futile. We need to find another solution."

Scratching her head, Suika does some pondering, "Then does that mean I shouldn't fight this New and Improved Cirno?"

"You could, but it won't make much of a difference. I'd suspect a good time to actually do that is when you have no choice but to fight. Right now Cirno is merely staying put at Misty Lake. If she moves around and starts wrecking havoc, than I think we have no other choice, but until then it's best not to kick the hornet's nest."

"Hm, okay, if that's what you think. But that seems kind of lazy to me."

"Didn't you say you watched last night? They must have destroyed Cirno at least a thousand times, and in the end they could barely even reach her. If you want to go through the same hopeless struggle that they did, than I won't stop you. But I think you should save your strength for when it's necessary."

"And when will it be 'necessary.'"

"You'll know. When the time comes I think we'll all know. In the mean time I'd appreciate it if you helped me with something."

Suika dubiously glares at Reimu, "First you say you don't want me to do anything, then you say you want me to help you. Just spit it out already!"

"No need to get touchy, you'll probably get your exercise sooner or later. You've trained with me a bit on how to be a miko, so that's what I'm going to want you to do. If I had the confidence to do this on my own I wouldn't ask, but I don't."

Lightening up a bit, "Okay, I think I understand."

"Thanks. You see, a Hakurei Miko and a certain gap youkai are different in terms of abilities, but we basically share the same responsibility; maintaining the border of Gensokyo. Yukari locked herself between the boundaries in order to strengthen it. What I want to do is supply it with enough power that we don't have to worry about it shattering.

"I want to break Yukari out."

A fortune denied

Suddenly surrounding the maid is not the frozen surface of Misty Lake, but vast grassy fields, a fresh fragrance in the air, a warm sun on her back, and innumerable sunflowers reaching to above her waist. Confused, as she was just drawn from one place to here, she rapidly scans her surroundings in search of the cause of this disturbance. At first she sees nothing, but suddenly a person stands in a places she'd just before surveyed. This person didn't arrive, she appeared.

It's a woman of equal height to the maid. Donned in matching red plaid skirt and vest, with a white blouse, rosey eyes, and grass-like hair, this is someone the maid has met before.

"Yuuka Kazami!" Sakuya roars.

From under her sleeve Sakuya produces twin knives. Without even exchanging a greeting she hurls the daggers at the flower youkai. Those two suddenly multiply into a hundred, now traveling in a myriad of directions. After breathing a sigh, Yuuka tucks her umbrella of pure white under her arm and moves slightly to her side. With minimal effort she avoids the first volley, but no sooner than she does the youkai finds herself suddenly surrounded on all sides by a dome of knives.

At once they all converge, hitting with great impact and rising a cloud of dust. For a few moments the opponent is invisible to the maid, but when the dust settles she discovers Yuuka's fate. The youkai has seemingly been replaced by an egg-shaped configuration of what look like green vines, pierced by all the knives that were thrown.

No sooner does the dust settle that the vines unravel at rapid pace, hurling all the daggers they caught in random directions. The original perpetrator of this attack has to struggle to avoid this sudden reversal. It's over quick, but the stun of surprise keeps her still in hesitation. That brief moment was one far too long.

Before Sakuya can amply regain her footing she finds that it's caught. A green vine has sprouted from the ground and wrapped itself around her leg. Reading a knife she attempts to cut herself free, but the arm is quickly seized by another outgrowth. This repeats for her remaining limbs. It isn't long before she completely constrained and immobile. The maid struggles, but her shackles don't budge.

"Hello," Yuuka says as she marches forward, "Sakuya Izayoi."

"Yuuka!" the maid snaps back. "Why have you brought me here?"

"Oh? And here I thought you would have preferred my warm fields to that dreary frozen lake."

"Don't mess with me! Send me back this instance!"

"So you can do what? Avenge your master? Or so that you can get yourself killed?"

"That's none of your business! Release me!"

Sighing, "That's so utterly predictable. The moment you hear about Remilia, you charge off like a blind bat and leave the other people you care about behind."

"What's it to you? You shouldn't care one bit what happens to me!"

"Hmm, well I won't say your wrong. And frankly, I find your devotion to the vampire," and she says this with a bright smile on her face, "disgusting. If you were going to die off on you own I wouldn't have intervened, but your actions would hold dire consequences."

"What do you mean?"

Since it seemed to pique her interest, Yuuka loosens the binds somewhat so Sakuya can be a little more comfortable. In front of the bound maid another group of vines sprout from the ground. Reaching as high as eye level, the vines then spread outward until they make a large rectangle. Flowers bloom from newly sprouted buds and fill the area with color. Fit on the screen is an image that greatly resemble Sakuya.

"Is that supposed to be me?"

"Not bad, _I_ think. I believe it will be easier to show you rather than tell you."

Suddenly the pedals making Sakuya's image wilt and fall to the ground, only to be replaced by new flowers. This happens in such rapid and coordinated a fashion that the image seems alive and in motion. It depicts:

After hearing of the demise of her master, in a rage Sakuya flees the Scarlet Devil Mansion and charges at Cirno who sleeps above Misty Lake. Knowing that there was only one way it could turn out, Marisa and Meiling chase after her. To this point it displays exactly what happened. It was shortly thereafter that Yuuka interfered and captured Sakuya. Instead the image shows a confrontation with Cirno above the lake.

At first Cirno displays absolutely no signs of hostility, but when she's pelted by knives that radically changes. A merciless hail of ice spears rain towards the maid. Easily avoiding such a straightforward attack, Sakuya readies more knives. Hurling a first group, Sakuya uses her power and stops time. The world loses all color (except for Sakuya) and all motion halts. The knives she's thrown, the icicles hurled at her, everything freezes as space and time are manipulated. Reaching under her sleeve, skirt, and any other place she could think to hide knives, Sakuya throws the bladed weapons despite the altered time. They only travel a few short meters before they too lose saturation, becoming still and monochrome. In a few moments everything returns and Cirno is suddenly pelted by the multiplied arsenal. The damage received cause several of the sleeping girl's limbs to fall away, but they hastily regenerate.

Grunting at the ineffectiveness of her attack, Sakuya prepares to do this again. This time she waits till she gets closer to use her ability. Stopping time, the maid prepares the same dome attack that was used against Yuuka.

An ice spear suddenly brushes past Sakura, grazing her arm and drawing blood.

Frightened, Sakuya moves to a sudden retreat, and she sees that more missiles are being launched by the sleeping fairy. Normally this was how battles regularly unfold, but Sakuya's ability is still active. Time is still frozen. This matters little to the being which was so greatly effecting Gensokyo. In a world unchained by time this creature fights in defiance of the laws of the universe.

By a hair's breath does the maid manage to make Cirno miss her target, but unfortunately Sakuya isn't her only target. Since the most recent use of her ability, Marisa and Meiling have pursued into range of Cirno's attacks. While the world is still frozen, while they are still frozen, spears of death race at them at incalculable speeds. Sakuya releases the binds of time.

Unfortunately there isn't time to react. Meiling, after studying martial arts most her life, manages a meager of a block. Pierced through her arms and legs, she screams as she could do little but prolong her life against the first volley. The second wave comes too quickly for her to even discern what's happened. With the maelstrom that was upon her, and the amount of flesh torn from her body, it was clear a third volley won't be necessary.

Marisa was the more fortunate, in a matter of opinion. On her broom she's the quicker of the two, thus the attacks hit her first. At the moment time was restored an ice spike was already a few short meters from her chest. Never getting the chance to know what happened, an icicle pierces her heart. Instantaneously the light goes out in her eyes and her body limp on her broom. Gradually her velocity lessons until she falls from her height. Only that one spear was necessary to bring her down, and she hit the ground only a few seconds before Meiling.

Watching her comrades fall in horror, Sakuya completely has her back to Cirno. Either a grievous error, or she simply no longer cared, more attacks come at her without her even seeing them. What would surely rip her body to pieces, the first spike pierces the back of her head.

The image goes black. The show is over.

After seeing such images it would be impossible to hide her remorse, but Sakuya is still defiant, "Since when could you tell the future?"

Smiling the entire time with a sick kind of satisfaction, "Oh I can't, but this is more or less what's going to happen. There's about an equal chance of this happening as there is of you being the only one who dies, but I think showing the worst outcome has more of an impact."

"You expect me to believe that Cirno has the power to stop time, just as I have?"

"No, she can't stop time, but she can move when it is."

"And how do you know that?"

Taking her umbrella from under her arm, she points it to the sky, "To put it simply, her power is beyond comprehension."

Looking up, Sakuya sees something completely out of place in this vast sunflower field; the sky is broken. Like shattered glass dark tears fill the skyline. Despite it being midday and everything else seeming fine, the heavens themselves seem to be breaking.

"This isn't the Garden of the Sun, but a pocket dimension I crafted to look like it. In reality you aren't very far from the Scarlet Devil Mansion's broken front door. Surely you've heard about the weakening of the Gensokyo boundary. Well, Cirno's power reaches even this far. While I'm not as skilled in this area as Yukari, I had confidence that my dimension would hold, but now I'm not so sure."

Sakuya grits her teeth and clenches her fist, but otherwise she's calming herself. Now that her rage and despair over her master's loss has dissipated, the former maid is slowly thinking with reason again. Evidence which supports Yuuka's prediction are abundant, and it seems that Sakuya won't even be given the opportunity to join her master. Yes, she might have chosen to follow her master in death, but if Cirno can indeed move in frozen time then Sakuya cannot be allowed to fight.

"How do you even know this?" but she still has reservations accepting everything that's told to her so easily, especially by this well-known liar.

"Hmm, how indeed? Since you can't be allowed to participate in this incident, we might as well find some way to pass the time. Let me tell you a story."

* * *

_Three Chapters remain in Act 4, and the next of which is my absolute favorite. Next chapter actually focuses on Cirno! If you had complaints of the summarized 2nd -hand version told to Daiyousei by Hati, then Yuuka's accounts of the past should fill in the gaps. The next chapter was such fun because it depicts a much younger and inexperienced Yuuka, and a much different Cirno. Anyway, this will be Cirno's official introduction into the story as a character, so you can expect to see much, much more of her afterwords._

_There's so much I want to rave about the next chapter and Cirno, but I have hold myself back and let you read it for yourself.  
_

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	22. The Strongest

Unrecorded in History

A gentle breeze passes through the leaves and they sing their songs as they clatter on their branches. Water trickling from nearby whistle a calming melody and accompanying wildlife do the same. Birds are humming high on their perches and frogs croak down in the mud. In fragments sunlight escapes through the canopy and illuminates a lone figure. Sitting upon a rock is an unnatural beauty. She is tall, fair, and has very long hair the color of the sky and ocean. In her arms she cradles what can only be a sword. It shines brilliantly if ever the slightest bit of light were to reach it's blade, and the pommel and guard are decorated in highly intricate designs of impossible craftsmanship. This woman lies still, the expanding and contrasting from her amply developed chest, she is a picturesque nirvana.

"Excuse me," breaks the serenity of the scene, causing the birds and frogs to flee, "excuse me, Lear-denka."

The sleeping beauty stirs. Slowly eyes as deep as the ocean regard this intruder. Not much can be seen as this woman is on all fours, bowing. All that can be told is that she has short green hair and dresses in red and white.

"I no longer wish to be addressed by that name," speaks the deity with the sword, her voice is as deep and gentle as a mother bear is to her cubs. "And your honorifics confuse me."

"Then by which name do you wish to be known?"

"Pick any of the others."

"I humbly apologize, but I only know of you by Lear."

"Not that it matters, but you're pronouncing it wrong. In any case, call me by my true name, the one given to me by the first person I met. Cirno."

"Cirno-denka! You greatly honor me by revealing your true name! I am at a loss at how to repay such respect!"

"You can start by raising your head. That's not how we kneel in this country."

"Forgive me!" and she does as she's told.

Cirno lifts herself from the rock and approaches the other, still clutching the sword. After peering into the young woman's rose-colored eyes, Cirno asks, "What's your name, demon from the East?"

"Kazami Yuuka!"

"If I'm not mistaken, in the East family names are given first. So that makes you Yuuka. So tell me, Yuuka, why are you here?"

"You pay me too much honor! I have traveled from my home empire in the East to pay my respects to the great Dea Mundi."

For a moment Cirno is silent and merely observes Yuuka, and she can tell the younger one is clearly nervous beyond comparison. If she leaves the demon in this state she might faint.

"I'm not any ruler or queen, just an existence that's managed to live too long. And don't give me weird titles. Where did you even hear 'Dea Mundi?'"

"But from what I hear, you have already lived for thousands of years! Compared to you I am still young and-"

"Enough, enough. Your prattling is enough to bleed my ears. If all you've come here for is to solicit an introduction, then we are well met. If you have no further business, leave me be."

"I beg your pardon," and she shifts back to all fours. "I do not wish to offend, but I have business still. A request."

"Very well. I shall listen, but that doesn't mean I'll humor you any further."

"Yes! Cirno-denka-"

"Drop the -denka."

"Cirno, I wish to travel with you!"

There was silence. On this cool day sweat drips from Yuuka's brow. Since there was no response Yuuka dares to rise her glance and peeks at the ancient and majestic Cirno. What she finds is a cock-eyed grin of great irritation. There's even bulging veins on her forehead. Yuuka quickly turns back to the ground, puckering her lips and trembling greatly.

"You want to travel with me?" it's clear Cirno's upset.

Suddenly she grabs Yuuka by the ear and pulls her to her feet. Yelping in pain, the younger demon tries not to resist. Only then does she realize that Cirno is taller than her by nearly a head and a half. Perhaps only the greatest of warlords of whom Yuuka knew were equal in stature.

"You see this here," Cirno points to the rock, then to where she just stood, "to here. This is the furthest I've traveled in the last 10 years. There is no point in joining one such as I."

After being released, Yuuka becomes slightly panicked, "What? That cannot be possible! To stay in the same spot for years and never move? There are so many new and interesting things in this world that I cannot help but want to find them all!"

"Enthusiasm is curse upon the young," and Cirno returns to her rock and retakes her seat. "I've seen many worlds, and at their roots they're all the same."

This greatly excites the demon, "You've seen worlds other than this? Tell me about them!"

Maybe Cirno should have insisted she _was_ a queen. At least this way she wouldn't have to suffer Yuuka's increasing familiarity.

"Okay, I'll tell you. But don't share this with anyone." She waves the demon closer as if there were possibly anyone who could eavesdrop on them. "The truth is," she whispers, "they end."

After saying that Cirno lays down on her rock, rolls over, and faces the other way. Yuuka, in the meanwhile, is left dumbfounded.

"What? I don't understand Cirno."

Waving her off, "Worlds end. Every place, every civilization, race of people, all are eventually destroyed. I haven't found a single world that has escaped this fate."

While she was still awestruck by Cirno's mighty presence, Yuuka manages to get offended, "That cannot be true! Even if other worlds have died, this world is protected by the Gods!"

Cirno laughs, "A demon looking to the gods for protection!"

"I might be a demon, but I have faith that-"

Interrupting, "The people of this era might think that's funny because of your opposite natures, but I find it funny because you think they're greater than you."

Yuuka was at a loss for words. At the time she couldn't even conjure a thought.

"The gods of this world aren't anything great. That you think they are greater in power than yourself is simply your misconception. Even humans can defeat the gods."

"What? Humans?"

"I've known of a couple. The gods won't be the ones to save this world once it eventually faces it's destruction."

"Then what about you? Do you have the power to save this world?"

"Me? I've long since given up trying to save people."

"But you have the power, right? The power to save everyone?"

For a moment Cirno says nothing. Rolling to her back she faces the canopy of tree leaves and fragments of sky, "I don't. I don't even have the power to save a single person. If power alone could save a world, I don't think I'd have lived this long."

For how straightforward Cirno has been, that last comment didn't seem to make any sense.

"Begone, child-demon. I don't wish to speak anymore."

Cirno made no effort to hide the fact that tears were rolling down her cheek. Yuuka understood only that the great being felt sorrow, but to nowhere near the depths of that sorrow. Gracious for the time she'd surrendered to the demon's whims, Yuuka bowed and took her leave.

The next time these two would meet they were trying to kill each other.

Many worlds did Cirno say she visited, and all met with destruction. The reason for this became apparent several years later, when the winter was suddenly without end. It was she herself that cast the final die on the fate of billions.

Many of the gods and demons banded together to try and save this world, and kill the bringer of ends. Cirno's power was overwhelming, and even the outlandish stories that were told of her serviced her little credit. It was an absolute slaughter, and many of the deities which were so revered in their time became lost to history. However, despite the great losses, the band fighting to save the world emerged victorious. Nearly was there an extinction of all, but even in the face of total destruction not all could rally together. Those who didn't even risk themselves celebrated in glory of victory, and the world continued as before.

However, this outcome nearly hadn't been. Of the team who sought Cirno's destruction, there was but a single survivor, and it was she who landed the final killing blow. Before this incarnation of Cirno met her end, the pair shared one last conversation.

Amidst a field of pure white, where hope is lost in the distance and despair awaits after every frozen step, a blizzard covers everything in snow. The wind rages and howls, bringing in it's icy breath death, and to one's ears hell. Bodies of gods and demons alike are buried here, but the spots at where they fell could no longer be told. Everything was lost underneath each increasing layer of snow. Only now do two figures remain. Standing above the tall woman of blue hair, was Yuuka. In her hand was an umbrella of purest white, pointed directly at the downed body of Cirno. At this point they are both still alive.

"Why?" Yuuka has to scream so her voice can be heard. "Why do you want to destroy this world?"

Cirno smiles, "You're too young to understand. You thought I've lived for thousands of years, but you're wrong by a wide margin. The worlds I've seen were the worlds before this one, and every one of them I've destroyed for the exact same reason. It's despair. Each world had become so filled with despair that I did the only thing I could. I put an end to it."

"Not this world!" Yuuka retorts. "This world is not filled with despair!"

"You're wrong. This world is by far the worst of them all." Her words are slow as she's having trouble keeping her breath. "Repeatedly it has been blessed by men who could be their saviors, but they were destroyed by the very people they were trying to protect. This world openly seeks it's destruction! Maybe I've let other worlds progress much further than this, but it's the desire of this world to meet it's end. I just wanted to get it over with so the slate can be cleaned, that from the ashes of this world another can be born."

Yuuka closely observes Cirno. The once great and mighty destroyer of world lies broken on the ground. Lost are her right arm and both legs, the left completely gone and the right below the knee. Through the fighting they broke like glass, shattering and drifting away in the wind. Constructed of the element water and ice, Cirno's body was unlike Yuuka's own. Cirno is more like a doll than a living person.

While her body was broken, with the arm that remained she still clutches to the brilliant sword Yuuka remembered from their meeting. As Cirno destroyed her companions she never released her hold on the blade. Neither did she use it.

"This world will not end," declares Yuuka. "You have lost."

"Lost? I'm not so sure about that. This defeat was but a foolish error on my part. I let my own despair overtake me and rushed the proceedings, fully aware that my own power was nearly depleted."

"What are you talking about?"

"This sword, I offered much of myself in it's creation. It's power is my power, and the time it should take for me to fully recover from it's creation should have been about 500 years, but I foolishly started this war after only 15."

"You just sound like a sore loser to me!"

"But you're wrong. I'm not sore at all. In fact I'm glad. I'm glad that the world has rallied together to seek my defeat. In the past only a rare few defended themselves against me, but most sat by quietly and slowly died. Maybe I slightly misjudged this world. I'm not wrong about it's self-destruction, but maybe such conflict gives birth to something I've never seen before. I'm most curious to see how it will progress."

The tip of Yuuka's parasol begins to glow, "You act like I'm going to let you go!"

"No, destroy this body if you will. Same as with the sword, it will take time until I can construct myself again. When I return I would cast judgment once more, but when I do, that time it will be final."

Blinding the surroundings, the glow intensifies to the point where nearly everything is lost in a white light. Yet somehow Cirno's deep blue eyes can pierce through any gleam.

"Yuuka," Cirno gives her final words, "I can sense a good nature in you. Please hold dear that spirited exuberance and honest personality. It will serve you well in the fut-"

Cutting her off, Yuuka fires her execution blast. From the tip of the parasol a beam of highly concentrated magic erupts. A directional spell, the effects of such devastation can be felt for kilometers in every direction. The blanketing snow and the torrential winds are pushed back. Fought against a force greater than itself the entire storm is blown away. Snow dissolves and even the sky is cleared. Not to be mistaken, but this current onslaught is even worst than the previous world-ending storm. The roar of magical energy erupts louder than a volcano, strikes at one's bones harder than thunder, and could be the final sound one would ever hear. All of that was concentrated on a single individual, a broken and helpless woman lying on the ground. It was understanding that the Earth was also taking it's share of punishment.

Yuuka's final spell lasted nearly a minute; for as long as it were possible. After it ceased and the after effects died down, all that remained was a colossal gorge. Overhead the clouds had parted and the sun shines through. Nothing remains of the woman nor the sword she held. All has been rendered to dust.

Taking one last look to make sure that it's over, Yuuka turns around and walks away.

Hundreds of years later, Yuuka returns to the forest where she first met Cirno. Was it nostalgia that drove her feet or some sense of non-fulfillment? She didn't know. Ever since that day a lingering concern could be felt in the back of her mind. Yuuka fought with that monster and made certain that she was dead, but the lone survivor couldn't believe it in spite of herself. An unexplained forced moved her to return to this place.

When she finally rediscovered that rock and stream, a surprise awaited her. No larger than a child in size, a fairy now invaded that serene place. She mostly ignored the demon's presence until it was right behind her.

A child with tousled blue hair crouched down on all fours near the stream. There she closely observed the frogs as they crocked and hopped from place to place. Staring with such intensity Yuuka didn't know if the fairy with wings of ice was playing or studying.

"What are you doing there?"

"Ah!" the fairy yelps, causing a stir and nearly falling into the water. Once she regains her balance she faces the intruder. "Oh, hello lady! Did you come to see me? I don't get many visitors."

It was but a child in size, but she had the same hair and eyes as the great being she once knew. Could this have been the new incarnation that Cirno spoke of?

"I was just passing by and happened to find you here," Yuuka lied.

"Oh I see. Then you must be heading to the castle, right? You're dressed really pretty like you're going to the castle. If you've come this far into the forest then you must have gotten lost. I can take you there real quick!"

Yuuka didn't even know of a castle, but decided to play along anyway, "Yes, that's right. I've been wandering for hours and have gotten terribly lost."

The fairy nods emphatically, "Yes, yes, I see. It's happened a few times before. The old roads have been overtaken by brush so the castle is harder to find now. Villagers come by every so often to pay respect to the old king. They get lost so I help them find their way."

That seemed a bit of a far tale. Normally a human would flee in terror at the sight of the fairy's blue hair and wings of ice, but with how she acts it's like she'd just spoken with some the other day. Yuuka remembered how the old Cirno never even winced at the fact that she herself is a demon. This fairy seems to be the same way.

Humoring her enthusiasm, Yuuka follows as the fairy leads the way.

"Y'known, you're a really classy lady," the fairy suddenly says. "I can tell. I have a good eye for people. Classy ladies always wear a flower."

This shocks Yuuka. Trying not to let her surprise show, "But I'm not wearing any flowers."

The fairy puts her finger to her cheek, "I guess so. You're not actually _wearing_ any, but you are carrying one. It's a really pretty flower too. Are you going to leave it any say a prayer for the dead king?"

Yuuka tightens her grip on the parasol, "Whatever do you mean? I'm not carrying a flower."

"Yes you are. That white thing you have in your hands. You didn't know it was a flower? Wow. Are you, stupid or something?"

Blunt comment aside, Yuuka couldn't believe that this little fairy could tell her parasol wasn't a parasol at all, but an ever-blooming flower with intense magical properties. Only with it's aid was Yuuka able to land the final blow on Cirno. If she were to lose it or have it stolen, it would be a tremendous loss not only to her, but the world. It was a priceless treasure she protects at all costs.

But she couldn't let the fairy get away with calling her 'stupid,' "Just kidding. I knew it was a flower all along."

The fairy stops for a moment, dumbfounded, then laughs, "Ha ha! You played a trick on me! You got me good!"

Yuuka couldn't help but giggle a little bit, although she was still very concerned that her secret had been revealed. She was unsure if the Elder Cirno had discovered her parasol's identity, but other then that no other god or demon had done the same. This was great cause for alarm, even if by some chance Cirno and this fairy are not related.

They ventured through the forest with the fairy acting as a guide. The pair continued to converse, but mostly it was the fairy babbling consistently. She'd talk about the forest, some of the wildlife, her adventures, and some random, completely unfunny jokes. It was kind of annoying, but also charming in a way. Yuuka wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with the fairy.

Arriving at the castle, what Yuuka finds is a ruin with few remaining structures. It was odd how this building had decayed. It didn't look as if the palace had been seized. broken apart by wars and many battles. It was abandoned, left to rot with it's cause of destruction being neglect and looting. Moss and ivy cover the remaining walls, all decorations and ornaments were stripped, and not so much as a complete building remains. Much care and hard work must have been sacrificed to build this kingdom, but what remains is a victim of hate and spite. What exactly happened here?

"They called it Camel-something," the fairy is acting like a historian. "But isn't that stupid? This isn't a desert!" laughing at her own joke.

Seeing as the fairy's home and this place were so close, Yuuka imagined there was a relationship with Cirno. There was no harm in asking.

"What exactly happened here?" she asks.

An even wider grin appears on the fairy's face, as if she'd been waiting for that question to be asked. Before she speaks she 'ahem's, "Well, as the story goes there once was a boy who found a special sword and became a king. Then he broke the sword and was no longer king. So he goes to a lake and asks a _special lady_ to make him a new sword. So she did. Then he died and returned the sword."

That seemed to be it. For as proud as the fairy felt about herself, it wasn't a very detail recount of a person's life. However, despite it's lack of information Yuuka was able to piece together a much larger version of the story by some of the rumors she's heard, and inserting Cirno as this _special lady_. In a way it seemed to make sense, but who was to believe if this fairy's testimony was even remotely accurate.

"Who was this _special lady_?"

The fairy blushes and puts her hands over her cheeks, "Well," she sways back and forth, "it was my sister!"

Sister? It was within the realm of possibility, but Cirno didn't seem to have one when they first met.

"What was your sister's name?"

"Sister!"

It took Yuuka a moment to comprehend what she just heard.

"Um, no. What I'm asking is her name."

"Sister. Sister is Sister!"

Already having suspicions, Yuuka was now certain this fairy is an idiot.

"Okay," but she still had to make sure, "what's your name?"

"Cirno!"

If this was an act then Cirno was the greatest actor in the world. Otherwise, the great and ancient world slayer had been reincarnated into an idiot fairy. If this fairy is a completely different persona, then she must think of the original as a sibling.

After this long journey West and suffering the ramblings of Cirno Jr, Yuuka was nearly certain of the fate of the world slayer she personal put an end to. There was little left to do in this place and she could return to the East with relief. Still, the only thing left to be seen was if this fairy would pose a potential threat.

"Say, Cirno," Yuuka lowers herself to a knee so she was at eye level, "do you know any magic?"

For a moment Cirno goes wide-eyed in surprise, but that slowly fades and she looks away, "No, I'm just a fairy. I can't even fly."

A gentle tug nipped at Yuuka's heart.

"Don't think you're weak just because you are a fairy. That's just your misconception. Even a fairy could take on the Gods."

Before she even knew what was happening, those words echoed from her lips. A message that was relayed once before to her, by someone she both hates and respects, was now being relayed to another. It was a strange twist of fate that it was essentially the same person.

Mouth agape, Cirno asks, "Really? A fairy took out a God?"

"I know of one."

"I," she fumbles with her words, suddenly becoming very timid, "I can become strong?"

"The strongest."

It was almost as if Yuuka was rooting for Cirno Jr, but that in and of itself could be a very dangerous proposition. Even if this _were_ a different persona, she would still have the same potential as the original. As long as that is true some safeguards need to be put in place.

"But listen Cirno, you need to be more than just strong. Having a strong body and magic is one thing, but you also need to have a strong heart. Only those with both will have the power to rival the Gods."

Cirno's fists are balled up by her chest like strongman lifting a heavy stone; icicle wings beating furiously. An enthusiasm was born within her.

"Yes!" she declares. "I'll do it! I'm going to be The Strongest!"

This might not have been a bad thing. Even if this Cirno becomes as strong as the previous, she won't have the same attitude. She might become a force which would save worlds, not destroy them. Satisfied she made the trip, Yuuka rises to her feet.

"It's been a pleasure meeting you, Cirno. I have to return home now. Bye bye."

As she watches her guest walk off, Cirno shouts loudly, "Bye bye red and white classy lady!"


	23. Rebellion

Where the first call for help was made

"You're running out of food?" asks the white-haired woman in baggy clothes.

The teacher nods, "That's right. The harvest was already effected because of this incident, but now that there's suddenly snow all the new crops have died."

Fujiwara no Mokou was worried because of what happened last night, and now that she's visited her friend in the village her fears have now doubled. While Keine Kamishirasawa might have been feigning calm, the worries and anxieties from the humans in the village are quite pronounced.

"I didn't think it would be this bad," Mokou explains. "With the dangerous youkai practically gone I thought things would get rather peaceful."

"We should have seen this coming," Keine is ashamed of herself. "They went on a rampage because they were searching for food, and now there is no food."

"How much remains in the storehouses?"

Sighing, "Thankfully we don't have to worry about water, but the rice and vegetables will be depleted in less than a week even with rationing. If things continue like this we'll start to see casualties in the young and elderly before too long."

"Do you have any ideas?"

Confidently, Keine nods, "Yes, but I'm worried that can't survive such a condition for long under our own power. The bamboo forest will provide us ample protection from the cold and supply us with food. If worst comes to worst we'll have to abandon the village and migrate, but that leaves us with another problem."

"Eientei," Mokou finishes her thought.

"Exactly. They're not too keen on invaders, so surely they won't think too kindly on the idea of welcoming new neighbors. Especially if it gets so bad that we may temporarily seek shelter in the mansion."

Seeing where this was going, "Let me guess, you want _me_ to speak with that brat princess."

"Actually," and something finally brings a smile to the teacher's face, "I'll do that myself. Even with my magic I can't protect the village from adverse weather conditions. I'm about as helpful as an oni bartender at this point. I can't do any good just sitting here, so I thought I'd ask you to escort me through the forest."

Mokou stiffens a bit, "Oh, okay. I could do that."

With a mischievous grin on her face, Keine rushes to the immortal's side and hooks her by the arm, "Come on, be a little excited at least. It's been so long since I left the village, and we're going to be alone to boot. Couldn't we think of this as a date?"

"Excuse me," suddenly comes the soft voice of someone interrupting their conversation.

"What is it," Mokou rapidly pulls herself away from her friend in a fit of embarrassment.

Before the pair is a fairy with cropped black hair, glasses, and dressed in a maid uniform. She's lightly blushing but trying to keep a straight face.

In a very formal and business-like manner, the fairy maid tells them, "You two are Keine Kamishirasawa and Fujiwara no Mokou, correct? Lady Patchouli Knowledge requests your assistance in a matter of the highest regard." Reaching inside her pouch, the fairy shuffles through a short stack of envelopes until she finds the two regarding this pair. In a very proper, and rehearsed, procedure she presents the letters. "It's a matter involving the very fate of the world."

Somewhat hesitantly the pair receive the letters. Wasting no time they both open and read what's written inside. It's a brief account of everything that's happened in the past two weeks, including the cause and a summery of the specific details. Also is there a call for a rallying at the, now master-less, Scarlet Devil Mansion. Between the two letters the contents are exactly the same.

"Oh my god," Mokou cries under her breath. "Poor Dai-chan."

"Also, Fujiwara no Mokou," the fairy maid continues, "I request your service in delivering me to Eientei, wherein I shall also give these same reports to it's residence. It is my late mistress' wish that all of Gensokyo band together against this threat."

Seeing such professionalism and dedication from the fairy who just lost her employer, was breathtaking. Keine wipes a tear from her eye.

Mokou, who now felt partially responsible upon learning of her involvement in this incident, agreed honestly. After hearing about what happened to Remilia, and her own friendly relationship with Sakuya, Keine couldn't object and abandoned every previous notion that this would be a date. Seeing that a solution to this incident and the village's condition were now known, it was no longer necessary for the representative to head to Eientei. She would leave immediately for the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

In full circle

For the second time Mokou leads a fairy through the Bamboo Forest of the Lost; this journey without a single interruption. While they travel the immortal learns the finer details of the preceding events from the fairy maid. After learning of Remilia's fate all the fairies were given the choice to leave or continue to stay under the mansion's new mistress, Patchouli. Not a single maid resigned. However, grief-stricken beyond equal, Sakuya haphazardly charged at the perpetrator of the crime, Cirno. To what would have been certain demise, she was abruptly seized. Yuuka Kazami made a sudden appearance and told all of them that she'd personally look after the wayward chief maid. As to the ancient youkai's motivations, nobody knew, but if she was willing to look after their boss and beloved companion, there were no objections. After that all the fairy maids were dispatched all over Gensokyo to rally all the help they could. Invitations such as the one Mokou and Keine received were prepared for all the strongest they knew. This was a call to arms.

At the doorsteps of Eientei the pair are greeted by Tewi Inaba.

"A meeting with everyone?" the rabbit asks.

"Yes," Mokou repeats herself, "All the forces of Eientei need to gather together and listen to what this fairy has to say."

Scratching her head uneasily, "And so you brought another fairy to Eientei. I don't know if anyone will be willing to listen to you this time."

"What are you talking about?" Mokou asks.

"That green-haired one. Reisen brought her last night, and when we tried to ask her what she knew, the fairy went completely berserk. Eirin had to sedate her and throw her in a cell."

Not reported in the letter was Daiyousei's insurrection. Quickly glancing to the fairy maid Mokou found the expression of restrained anger. Dai-chan was only trying to protect Cirno, but for that she'd lost all her previous allies. Well, maybe not all of them.

To rush the proceedings, the fairy maid found the rabbit's letter and gave it to Tewi on the spot. After quickly scanning through she recognizes the content's vital importance and would do as asked of by Mokou. Signaling a nearby rabbit, Tewi issues her orders to her subordinate. Then she turns to Mokou.

"What are you going to do?"

It was a good question, Mokou wasn't sure herself. If there was anything she was sure about, "I want to talk to Dai-chan."

"That may be a problem. That fairy hurt a few of the rabbits when she was trying to escape. The others-"

Mokou was no longer listening. Tewi might be much older than she appears, but she sometimes acts immature to hide the wisdom she posses. However, her childish play often leads to carelessness. As she was telling the immortal what happened, she let slip a certain word that might unravel any story she was trying to spin. "Escape." You can't escape unless you are captured. Anything else out of Tewi's mouth was inconsequential.

Waiting until the rabbit finished speaking, "Still, I need to see her. Maybe if I'm the one talking to her she'd open up more."

Taking a moment to think, Tewi scratches her head and says, "Alright, if you insist. But I'll have a rabbit accompanying you."

As if that could possibly make a difference, "That's fine."

Flagging a nearby rabbit, Tewi orders her to lead Mokou to the prisoner, while the rabbit commander takes the fairy maid and heads for the main house. Eientei didn't exactly have a cell to hold persons of interest, but a storeroom which could be quickly converted in case of emergency. A bit much to hold a single fairy, but considering the circumstances it wasn't surprising.

From Eirin's position it must have seemed as if Dai-chan held all the answers, but that probably wasn't the case. While drastic, to protect her beloved friend her actions were reasonable. First she makes an escape from the vampires while carrying her friend on her back, is caught and attacked, dragged to Eientei in the aftermath, and then imprisoned when refusing to cooperate. What likely happened was that Eirin asked Daiyousei what she knew, and since she wasn't going to divulge any information that could be used against Cirno, she attempts to flee. At the moment it seems as if the ice fairy was on a warpath, and while everyone else's goal might have been to stop her, Dai-chan's was to save her. If that is at all possible then Mokou wants to help. She might not be meeting Keine at the Scarlet Devil Mansion after all.

At the storeroom's door Mokou sees an o-fuda talisman. Not that she makes a habit of visiting Eientei, but the immortal had never seen one in this mansion. As a practitioner of the Shinto arts herself, she could easily identify the low quality of the charm. This particular enchantment is used to inebriate a target; more to weaken than to actually pacify or capture. It's of lower power and used to hold minimally dangerous targets. Someone of Mokou's level wouldn't be hindered in the slightest.

The rabbit tells Mokou to open the door herself, as the seals would undoubtedly put a strain on the guard. Obeying easily enough, when she opens the door Mokou also makes a quick indentation with her fingernail. It happened so quick the rabbit wouldn't have known any better. What Mokou did was reverse the flow of the karma, having the charm effect the outside of the storehouse instead of the inside. The rabbit wouldn't know the difference until it's too late.

What Mokou finds inside nearly appears to be a wife abandoned on her wedding night. Laying on the floor in a beautiful, pure, white dress, was her fairy friend. What was she wearing?

"Dai-chan, can you hear me?"

Approaching, Mokou takes a close look at Daiyousei. It doesn't appear that the o-fuda was of particular concern; the fairy's eyes are glossy and her pupils dilated. She's under the effect of a drug.

"They really worked a number on you, didn't they?" Mokou speaks knowing her friend can't hear her. "Well I think it's time I take you out of here."

Abandoning ceremony Mokou simply picks up the fairy and walks with her outside. The rabbit guard, who now appears to be in a daze, doesn't even register the escapees as they walk right by her. Some of the rabbits further away see this and regard it as odd, but as the guard herself isn't doing anything they aren't too alarmed.

Uncontested, Mokou carries Daiyousei right through the front gates of Eientei and into the Bamboo Forest of the Lost. There was no telling how much longer the fairy would stay under the effects of the drugs, so for the time being the immortal human thought it would be best to take her to her own home.

Before traveling too far from the hidden mansion, a low rumble is heard from the great distance. Only slightly sooner then she can feel it herself, the ground nearly pulls itself from under her. Unmistakable for anything else, it is an earthquake. Having no desire to suffer any setbacks, Mokou uses her magic to lift herself off the ground and flies.

Except she doesn't.

No sooner does her feet leave the ground does gravity bring them right back. Her casting failure taking her completely be surprise, the immortal trips over herself and nearly falls. By some miracle she finds her balance and also keeps from tossing the unconscious Daiyousei. Still, she wasn't so agile that she couldn't keep from falling to a knee. Leaning against a nearby bamboo, all she could do at this point was brace herself for the duration. It is at this point she realizes something truly frightening; the trees aren't shaking. Taking that thought a step further, neither is the ground. Whatever is doing this, it's core is only effecting her, and not the world around her.

This phenomenon fills her with dread from the very bottom of her stomach. Something very terrible must be happening.


	24. Sleep No Longer

A failure to communicate

Some time before.

"So this is the cause of everything?" asks the brutish woman.

Slightly behind her is a blonde child seemingly no more harmful than a tapeworm, "It seems that way, if you want to believe the tengu."

Before the fairy maids from the Scarlet Devil Mansion could deliver the invitation to the Moriya Shrine, this pair of Goddesses received their copy of the Bunbunmaru Newspaper, published this morning without all the proper details. Upon learning of the news of Remilia's defeat, these two decided to investigate immediately and see if they could find a way to return their priestess, Sanae, back to this side of the boundary. Once arriving at Misty Lake they found the water frozen and Cirno sleeping peacefully above.

"Something about this seems odd," says Suwako, obviously pointing out the obvious.

Not dignifying that with a response, without caution Kanako approaches Cirno, "Hey! Whatever you're doing, stop it!"

Despite yelling into her face, the sleeping cause of this incident doesn't stir. The goddesses wait for a moment, but nothing happens.

"Now what?" Kanako bluntly asks, as if Suwako knows any better.

"I don't know, but it's hard to think that Cirno could really do all this."

Turning back, "This fairy barely seems able to even survive for 20 seconds against the vampire. Does Aya honestly expect us to believe she beat her?"

"Maybe we should go to their mansion to see if it's true."

Waving off the idea, "Naw. Since we're already here we better make sure. Hey! Wake up!" she grabs Cirno by the shoulder.

No sooner than she does she's forced to pull away as an icicle grazes her arm. Suddenly hundred of spikes are formed and aiming onto the pair.

"What did you do?" Suwako screams, more annoyed than frightened.

"Don't look at me!"

And as if were waiting for that punchline, the hail descends upon them. Nimbly the miniature goddess avoids the attacks, but Kanako doesn't even bother. In a simple motion she drops her hand, a giant onbashira, a holy pillar used for a festival celebration in the name of Suwa, descends from the sky, halting in a place so as to perfectly shield the goddess. As the attacks are so straightforward it fulfills it's roll amiably. In sort order does Suwako also take shelter.

"That was certainly surprising," says Kanako as she inspects the cut on her arm, seemingly careless of the attacks around her.

"I guess so, but it still doesn't seem to be enough to take out the vampire."

"You're right, but I guess that's proof she's the cause of all this. Let's get this over with before she pulls any more surprises on us."

Seeing as to where this was going, Suwako tries to stop her, "Wait!" but is too late.

Just as the words formed on her lips, another onbashira falls from the sky and crushes where Cirno once rested. It meteors with such tenacity that it doesn't even feel resistance when destroying the body under it's weight. In an instant Cirno has been dissolved.

At the destruction of Cirno, all attacks momentarily cease.

Peeking her head around her shield, Kanako says, "Well, I guess that's-"

This time she isn't simply grazed; an icicle directly hits her face, knocking her whole head back an nearly causing the goddess to fall to the ground. Kanako catches herself and spends a moment to get her bearings. When her vision refocuses she sees blood bubbling from her wound and staining the ice and snow below.

"That bitch!" she curses.

Suwako tries to say something, maybe telling her fellow goddess to "stop," but at this point Kanako's in a rage. No longer holding back, the Goddess of Wind and Rain hurls four more onbashira. The very first hits it's target, and the other three fly wastefully into nothingness. This time clearly on the offensive, Kanako sees Cirno's body reform after being destroyed.

"So that's it," Kanako tells herself.

In a battle-trance the goddess hurls her holy pillars one after another, each effortlessly hitting and crushing their target, destroying the body of the ice fairy with routine efficiency. Kanako is so in-tuned into the battle that she doesn't even notice the shorter goddess pulling at her collar. But she does when an iron ring slices at her back.

"Agggrraaaa!" she screams more in rage than in pain. "Suwako! What are you doing?"

The smaller, yet older goddess has in each hand rings of iron larger than her own body, each sharp enough to easily slice a human in two. Suwako cut into Kanako very shallowly, not even drawing a trickle of blood.

"You need to pay attention!" the blonde goddess screams back.

"Wha-"

"Cirno's attacks are getting stronger!"

Nearly was it too late to notice, but the onbashira that she's using as a shield is taking serious damage. To put it more precisely, it was getting hacked away by the hundreds of icicle it was defending. At first the shards shattered upon impact, but now they are cleanly cutting deep, taking the holy artifact apart piece by piece.

"What?" Kanako shouts when she finally realizes this, and no sooner than she does the force of Cirno proves too much, and the entire pillar shatters into splinters.

Suwako proves fast enough to avoid the onslaught without getting hit, but Kanako can't escape without damage. Dozens of shards graze and bite into her flesh, but clean, solid blows she takes in the shoulder and thigh. Being no stranger to war she's not greatly hindered by the injury, but it instead only fuels her rage and battle prowess.

Now in full combat mode, the team of Kanako and Suwako waste no time unleashing their full arsenal. Four pillars fall from the sky, but don't directly target Cirno. Instead they land nearby, surrounding her on all sides. Once they're set, magic bullets begin to spray from their tips like a fountain, both equally attacking the central force and countering her ice spears. Suwako neither wastes a moment as her iron rings cut through both Cirno and her icy barrage. Together they form an all-out offensive that is by no means lacking what the instigator is producing.

It was impossible that this racket wouldn't gather attention. Not far away is the house of the fallen lord, the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Once this battle became known, a figure emerges from within and charges towards the fighting. It is the black and white magician who is amongst the fastest in Gensokyo, Marisa Kirisame. Unfortunately the Moriya Team don't notice her approach.

After their latest kill, something odd happens to Cirno. She no longer sleeps while curled in a fetal position, but it appears she is standing.

"Something's happening!" Kanako tells her companion. "I think this is it! Just one more!"

The goddess takes special care with this last attack; she readies one of the oldest and more powerful obashira in her arsenal. It's nearly twice as large as the previous. At the moment she launches it for a guaranteed hit,

"Stop!" screams the oncoming Marisa.

But it's far too late, there was no way to stop the furiously rocketing pillar. A moment before it hits,

Cirno raises a hand, and the obashira comes to an immediate halt. However, it's force and mass are far too great and it can't simply stop. The rear end of the pillar seems to crash into the front end, and the holy piece of wood shatters at it's midpoint, everything behind it exploding in a shower of splinters.

At this point everything ceases. Kanoko's pillars, Suwako's rings, Cirno's own icicles, and all the magical bullets. Despite no lack of trying, nothing is happening at this moment. It is as if the little fairy called for all the world to stop.

Suddenly a crack emerges on Cirno's body, a blinding light oozing from underneath. A rumble can be heard from some great distance away, coming to their location and deafening speeds. By all intensive purposes it sounds like an earthquake, but once it hits Misty Lake those flying in the air suddenly lose their abilities. Kanako, Sawako, and Marisa all fall to the ground in an uncontrolled decent. None of them escape injury when they crash.

Everything feels as if it's shaking, but the truth is it's only the individuals, not the world at large.

"What is this?" Kanako screams, this time back by something she's long forgotten. Fear.

At the Scarlet Devil Mansion

The fairy maids that remain, Patchouli, Koakuma, Meiling, Letty, Lily, Keine, all fall at this shaking. All have taken a similar stance as they attempt to combat this pressure.

At Eientei

In the midst of their meeting, the glasses fairy maid, Tewi, Reisen, Eirin, and Kaguya all fall to their knees.

Above Youkai Mountain

Having suddenly lost the ability of flight, the ever-vigilant tengu reporter falls from her perch landing on her left wing. She screams in pain as a large "snap" accompanies her crash landing.

In the Underworld

Since breaching the bridge, the youkai hoard has since invaded the ancient city. At that moment all fighting ceases. The youkai, the bridge princess Parsee, and the oni Yuugi all fall to their knees.

At the Palace of the Earth Spirits

Once sleeping, laying on the belly of the wolf Sköll, Satori awakens to this sudden sensation. Nearby, her pet kasha, a cat demon, looses her footing.

"What's wrong Orin?" shouts the nearby Hell Raven, somehow able to remain standing.

At the Hakurei Shrine

"Don't stop chanting!" orders the red and white shrine maiden. Next to her, just outside the steps to her shrine, the twin-horned oni has lost her concentration. "Don't stop chanting! The Gensokyo Boundary is on the verge of collapse! This is too much for even Yukari to handle! If the boundary is broken the effects of this will be felt world-wide! If that happens the faith and fear accumulated will make that creature the strongest god in existence! No," she shakes her head and corrects herself, "It will make her into something even greater than a God!"

After two breaths the oni struggles greatly and makes it back to her feet, "Gee, what's a level above a God?"

"I don't want to know!"

Thus the Bell tolls

The cracks upon Cirno's body multiply, each spreading until they reach her ends, and somehow they continue past her, breaking the very sky. At a point her entire frame is lost to the light, but somehow the cracks themselves manage to shine through. None of the three present can no longer even stand to look at her. All turn their eyes away. Suddenly the wind changes. In all directions as if sucked in, they target Cirno as their core. Suwako, being the lightest, is nearly swept away. She manages to grab hold and clutch onto Kanako.

At it's apex, everything ceases and all becomes quiet. This lasts for only a second.

An explosion detonates and all that accumulated power is seemingly released. Hitting the three head-on is a wind so powerful all are blown away. At the nearby mansion, all those decoration windows burst, revealing nothing but brick walls behind them. All the soft snow that remains is spread outward, covering Gensokyo for kilometers. Nearby trees are toppled and leaves and branches lost in the unknown lengths. All of this while some new figure has emerged in the spot Cirno once stood.

Somehow still alive, Kanako, Suwako, and Marisa, by perhaps fate, all three suddenly close together, slowly make it to their feet and witness the great being now before them.

It's a tall woman of unmeasurable beauty. Her figure can be both slender and voluptuous. Blue hair, longer than she is tall, flows from her head and sways in a kind of wind, almost like it's alive. Similar to the ice fairy's, she now dressed in a blue flowing gown with exposed shoulders and large white detached sleeves. A white bow rests just above her heart. Those six wings of ice no longer are miniscule, but long, jagged, and as sharp as a glacier. Slowly she opens her eyes, and that oceanic color seems to hold infinite depth and wisdom.

"Repent, all creatures of this Earth!" this figure's call is all things: loud, frightening, soft, and warm. "For the time is at hand!"

In a place yet unknown

A loud "beep" suddenly alarms and the man sitting nearby is awakened from his half-sleep. At first he shows only minimal concern. An alarm was sounding, but the machine uses the exact same chime no mater the severity of the event. It's not like the system would immediately sound a loud horn, red lights flashing every time something changes; that was for his judgment to make as a System Analyst after he reviews the report. Aside from the second youkai invasion not that long ago, never has he seen an issue larger than some momentary anomaly.

However, what he finds on the screen is something he can't even comprehend. Nearby a phone is present. No numbers are on the dial, but once lifted it does send a call, but to one and only one other phone. He picks it up and moments later his supervisor responds.

"What is it?" is asked from the other side of the line.

"It's these reading, sir, I don't know what to make of it."

"I think I know what you mean. A lot of other things started lighting up on my end. Just tell me what you see."

"Well," and he scans his monitor once more to confirm, "it's the GAL (God Activity Levels)."

"Are they spiking?"

"No! Exactly the opposite! This isn't like the time when GAL increased when those humans and youkai invaded. Right now all the level are dropping, like the gods are losing power!"

"That's impossible!" the supervisor shouts from the other side of the line.

"Should we contact Watatsuki no Yorihime," he slightly trails off, "Woah! What the heck is this?"

"What is it? Tell me what you see!"

"There's GAL spiking. It's massive! I've never seen anything like it!"

"What's the quadrant? Which god is being activated?"

"It's quadrant A1! There's never been a god designated to that area! Sir, what do we do?"

From the other end of the line there is pause. The supervisor is saying something, but not into the phone. The analyst can't tell what's being said.

"Got it," or at least he can hear the last part. "Okay, here are your orders. First, do not make contact with Watatsuki no Yorihime, or any of the Moon Rabbits. Second, continue to monitor the situation and give me a report every quarter hour. That is all."

The analyst is somewhat befuddled, "Sir? That's it? Shouldn't we-"

"Stop. Do not say anything unnecessary. These are direct orders from Lord Tsukiyomi. And before you say it, I know what you're thinking. But have you forgot? Tonight on Earth it will be a New Moon. All our monitoring equipment will be at it's highest output possible. Whomever is disrupting the balance of the gods will be purified."

"Yes sir!"

ACT 4 - FIN

* * *

_The Little Girl from Poltergeist: "They're here~"_

_Okay, Act 4 is in the can. At the end we finally have Cirno awakening from her sleep and a surprise appearance from someone who should be completely unrelated. If you're curious about what's being talked about in the final scene, then it's time to go look at _Silent Sinner in Blue_. Exactly how are they related in all of this? Well, you'll have to wait and see (ha ha)!_

_If we follow the Shakespearean model of storytelling, then Act 5 would be the _Falling Action_. Following the _Climax_ with Cirno awakening, now the consequences must be dealt with for allowing things to become this bad. And are they bad? Yeah. Prepare yourself for the longest fight scene I ever wrote, and heck, maybe the longest on this site. Like _FVIII Ultlimecia _long. Also, some of the upcoming moments can be especially violent and/or graphic. Prepare yourself._

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	25. Act 5 The World Slayer

Act 5

The World Slayer

The one who resists

Slightly behind the twin-tailed kasha Orin, otherwise known as Rin Kaenbyou, is a dark and dangerous presence, yet also her best friend. A hell raven by birth, she now barely carries any of those known characteristics. Because of some of her past actions she's transformed into something different. Still does she slightly resemble her old self. This former raven is of medium height, ample proportions, with black feathered wings and long dark-brown hair, and she still has her left arm. Other than that she has been completely transformed. Where her right arm once resided is now a third leg, a long rectangular device which regulates the power in her two legs. Her right is encased in what appears to be stone, and her left is orbited by atomic molecules. In the center of her chest is a large red eye, proof of the sin she committed in obtaining this new body and power.

At the moment she is currently standing behind her friend, who is peeking from behind a corner, spying on the mistress of their house while taking a nap. Orin is less than amused, and the hell raven seems anxious.

"Does it really get on your nerves that much Okuu?"

Okuu, or Utsuho Reiuji, hangs her head in nervousness, "I don't like it. Why is that mean dog getting so much attention?"

Okuu remembers it vividly. Several days ago Satori suddenly came home with a new pet trailing her. It was a very large and vicious-looking wolf. At first it seemed passive, but the moment he first spotted the hell raven he violently attacked. Frightening her greatly, Okuu nearly destroyed the entire mansion in retaliation, but with as quickly as it began, the wolf suddenly relented. After that he walked to a corner of the room and laid down in rest. Mistress Satori came from behind and apologized for his actions and told her pet that it was a case of mistaken identity. From that point Okuu felt anger and jealousy when she saw her master go to such length to cover for the rude newcomer. Ever since he arrived she's never ventured far from his side. Now she's even using him as a pillow.

"Well, regardless if you like it or not, one of us has to tell her."

Yes, there was also that. For the past two weeks the rioting youkai had been held at bay at the bridge to the underworld, but sometime last night they suddenly organized. Parsee and Yuugi where overrun by the mass effort. They did their best to keep the intruders at bay, but they were simply outnumbered tens of thousands to one. It was a miracle they lasted that long.

After crossing the bridge it was no surprise what the youkai would do, they attacked the Ancient City. At that point it was utter pandemonium. Most of the city is populated by oni, a race of incredibly strong youkai, but in the long ago past they fled the surface world to escape the chaos and strife wrought upon them by the humans. Since those times they've come to live peaceful and happy lives. Most aren't fit to fend off raging youkai. Parsee and Yuuki continue to fight, but practically speaking, they already lost. It's only a matter of time until the carnage spills into the Palace of the Earth Spirits.

From some far away distance, shattering the peace and quiet from inside the mansion, a rumble is heard. At first thought Okuu wonders if the fighting's already spread this far, but that didn't quite seem to be it. Maybe it could be an earthquake?

"Ahhh!" the kasha shouts as she suddenly falls to the floor.

"What's wrong Orin?"

Okuu stands above her friend who's suddenly fallen. Next she hears a grunt as her master Satori tries to lift herself off the ground, but failing. Even that wolf can't lift himself. Everybody but the three legged raven are trapped on the floor. Unable to do anything herself, Okuu becomes scared.

"What's wrong? What's going on?"

Unable to do anything but panic, as time passes the rumbling gradually fades away. Though to everyone else it was a violent shaking, to Okuu it was nothing more than a sound. How was she to know what others were experiencing when she couldn't do so herself?

Power is returned to her friends. Orin, Satori, and that wolf each take a stand.

"Are you alright?" great concern fills the raven's voice. "Are you hurt anywhere? Please don't tell me you were playing a prank on me!"

Out of all of them, Okuu, who suffered none of that, seems on the edge of tears.

"It's alright," Satori rises to her tiptoes and pats her pet on the head, "everything's fine now."

After her friend has been calmed, Orin asks, "Does anyone know what's going on here?"

"That quake wasn't normal," Satori agrees, "but maybe the bigger question may be why it didn't effect Okuu?"

The raven herself only has a questioning gaze on her face, as she knows next to nothing about what's happened.

Turning to the wolf, Satori accuses, "You know exactly what happened, don't you?"

Nothing which could be measured as a response is given by the wolf, but the mind-reader won't be so easily fooled. Even if the wolf was apt at hiding his thoughts, he wasn't perfect. These long days spent with him were so that Satori could learn the ins-and-outs of his head, slowly picking it apart so she could learn as much as she could about her mysterious guest. Unfortunately her road is a long one, and the bits an pieces of his brain she's uncovered has revealed little of importance, and even less of relevance. This went beyond simply having a strong mind, this wolf had somehow been trained to combat mind-readers. For what reason would he even go to such lengths? Could his _mission_ really be that important?

"Well," Orin butts in, getting them to focus on more important matters at hand, "the youkai have broken past the bridge, and are now in the Ancient City. It won't be long before they make it here. What do you want to do?"

"It's inevitable," Satori declares. "Eventually the frightened youkai will make it here. I don't like the idea of abandoning my home, but I can live with it. However, we can't lose the Hell of Blazing Fires. With the world above teetering on an endless winter, this source of heat will be vital for the continuation of the world."

Orin and Okuu are both shocked. Neither of them have heard anything about this. How exactly did Satori know of what was happening when all contact with the overworld has been cut for over a week? Simple, it was some of what she's pulled from the wolf's head. However, she might have been intentionally fed that information and hadn't achieved it on her own. There was no way to know.

"So we make a barricade below the mansion then?" Okuu seems ready and able.

Nodding, "Yes. But Okuu, you won't be going."

Of course the raven would be puzzled. After all, The Searing Divine Flame is the keeper of the Hell of Blazing Fires. If she wasn't there, keeping that place out of the reaches of the youkai would be pointless.

"Okuu, I want you to head to the surface. Whatever just happened up there didn't effect you, and I think you were the only one. The best way to stop these youkai from wrecking the underworld is to remove the fear that blinds them. I think you might be the only one who can."

As she's saying this, her two pets distinctly notice that her eyes dart back to the wolf after every few words, almost like a student looking towards her teacher to make sure she's giving the correct answer. They didn't like her relationship with the wolf, but in the end she's still their master. As long as she wasn't unwillingly putting herself in danger they wouldn't object.

"Okay. I understand. I'll head to the surface, but what am I supposed to do when I get there?"

For a moment Satori lowers her head, "I'm not sure," then raises, "but I think you'll know when you see it."

I AM

Marisa sprained her ankle in that landing, but quite frankly, that's the least of her problems. After that odd episode with Yuuka, the magician has put her focus into rallying the residents of Gensokyo so that they could come up with a countermeasure so Cirno wouldn't awaken. Now everything was ruined because some pesky gods thought they could take care of this themselves. What's worse is that only one person, Keine, has answered their summons. Now they got a bona-fide World Slayer awake and cranky after her long nap. Things couldn't get much worse.

Cirno Sr hovers in that same spot her fairy version had been sleeping not long before. Gazing down upon the two gods and human, she regards all of them equally.

"Choose your representative," she ordains.

To put it bluntly, Marisa was frightened out of her gourd. Cirno, just by awakening, had managed to put a block on all of the magic around them, and maybe even all of Gensokyo. Never before had she even heard of a being that could exert such influence. The magician could tell that her magic was back now, but who's to say Cirno wouldn't pull that trick again and simply end all the threats before her? If they were even considered threats, that is.

"You bitch!" Kanako screams.

Before Marisa could even comprehend how someone could even think to face against this Cirno, the earthbound goddess launches a holy pillar. With a calm that's terrifying, Cirno slowly moves her gaze towards the one that's on the ground, then to the onbashira that was hurled her way. This would not be a repeat of what happened while she was asleep. What must have weighed several tons is stopped simply by her outstretched hand. Kanako can't help but freeze in surprise to the ineffectiveness of her attack.

No, it wasn't stopped, it was caught. Marisa could see the fingers that dug into the pillar and the wood shaving that were rattled in the impact. This wasn't magic or some kind of force that could cancel spells, but sheer physical strength.

"Are all gods so vulgar?" Cirno complains.

While still holding the oversized pillar, the woman in blue charges towards the goddess. At that point Kanako and Suwako split, taking to the air now that their magic's recovered. Marisa is frozen in place.

Kanako launches another onbashira at Cirno, but she knocks it away with the one currently in her hand. It was surreal. In an obvious display of greater might, the ancient being is using that giant log as a weapon, and she swings it around with no greater difficulty than a twig from a tree. Kanako isn't prepared physically or mentally against such an overpowering force, and, after once again being proven ineffective, she hesitates. While her mind tries to cope with her failure and, at the same time, trying to figure a reasonable plan of action, she allows Cirno to draw too close.

Swinging that large pillar in a wide arch, it's path is pathetically predictable, yet Kanako only manages to dodge by a hair's breath. Still, the force of such a swing creates a powerful wake, and the goddess is slightly jarred by the wind force.

Dulled by a sensation that was completely unknown to her, for it was the first time in her life she's faced a power as vast as this. Kanako's numbed by fear. The sometimes haughty goddess doesn't even recognize the emotion for what it is, thus multiplying the effect and leaving her with a completely befuddled head. Such weak countermeasures against Cirno do not last long, and the second swing of Kanako's own onbashira connects with the target.

For the first time Kanako is on the receiving end of her own often overwhelming power. Her body crashes into the the frozen earth and breaks loose the surroundings on impact. This was what she did to her opponents. Now it's happening to her. She lay battered in the crater with only minimal movements of her body. A goddess is capable of sustaining more damage than this, but with the loss of her exuberant confidence her moral and willpower are all but destroyed.

Cirno throws the holy pillar at her downed opponent, ensuring that she won't take another stand.

The pillar hits with the full force intended. With that much impact it was certain that even a god wouldn't retaliate against her any time soon, if ever again.

An iron ring connects against Cirno's neck, it's spinning bladed edge sawing into her flesh. Except it didn't. Sparks were flying from where the iron ring is making contact with her skin, but from all appearances she wasn't taking damage. Cirno grabs the ring, sparks flying from her hand just as they are her neck, and she takes the weapon under her own control. Rapidly she turns to do the same she did to the other, send their own devices right back at them. This time her target is the small goddess Suwako.

Except nothing happens. Upon finding the original Moriya god, Cirno suddenly ceases all hostile actions. Unlike her companion, Suwako is no stranger to fear nor defeat, so even in such an overwhelming situation she can keep her head cool. Yet right now something odd makes her hesitate. Cirno's attitude has suddenly changed, and a different atmosphere has taken over the battlefield. Suwako cautiously waits and surveys this new development.

Cirno blushes.

"Um, what?" the Amphibian God can't stop her voice from speaking.

"A frog," the great and powerful world slayer mutters, dropping the iron ring as if she no long cares about battles.

Slowly Cirno flies forward, Suwako eventually matching the pace in the same direction, running away. Gradually the world slayer moves quicker, and the Moriya god does the same. Soon it becomes a chase, but it seems that the smaller blonde deity is the faster of the two and Cirno can't close the distance. To remedy this, she waves a hand.

From the frozen surface of Misty Lake, a sudden force erupts and bounds into the sky. It moves with blinding and frightening speed, like a colossal creature pouncing on it's pray. At it's end a giant maw opens, surrounding and engulfing Suwako Moriya in an instant. Only when it's stopped can anyone even see the culprit's identity; it is a giant serpent-like dragon born from ice. It holds it's prey in it's mouth like a cat playing with a mouse. With nowhere the same speed as before, the creature turns and heads for it's master. In no hurry it brings Suwako to Cirno's side.

The ice dragon's mouth opens, revealing an otherwise unharmed Suwako. After it releases it's prey from the confines of it's mouth, the creature backs away. It doesn't exactly melt, but the dragon's hard icy surface softens, breaks apart, and falls to the ground as snow. The massive creature has served it's purpose and reached the end of it's existence. Such great power was devoted to simply catching a frog, and if this much was considered disposable, Suwako knew better than to try and run again.

Cirno edges closer slowly and cautiously, mouth slightly agape, cheeks blush, and eyes anxious. Both her hands are slightly raised like a child trying to sneak up on a wild animal they wish to catch. Suwako was definitely nervous, but maybe it was for a different reason than because she felt her life was a stake. If anything, it might be her purity that might be compromised. Once she's within arms reach, Cirno leaps onto the frog goddess, catching her with both arms and hugging her tight.

Marisa, who's fear froze her to the ground, and because she was ignored had no reason to flee, witnessed all of this with a slightly confused expression. While Cirno should have been trying to destroy the world she was busy lovingly cuddling Suwako. To say the least she didn't know what to make of this situation.

"Um," Marisa had trouble finding to courage to interfere, "excuse me! Weren't you saying something before?"

Cirno's shoulders shook in surprise as if she suddenly remembered she was in the middle of something important. Only then did she turn and finally face the human magician. Instinctively Marisa stepped back in cautiousness.

Taking everything at her own pace, Cirno slowly approaches the sole remainder of the welcoming party. Certainly is this tall figure unbelievably intimidating, but it was hard to take the woman seriously with her cradling a young appearing girl in her arms like a teddy bear. Suwako herself seems at a loss, but the expression on her face clearly reads, "Well, nothing I can do about it. Might as well go with the flow."

Touching down right in front of her caller, Marisa only now realizes exactly how tall is this version of Cirno. If Marisa's ankle wasn't hurt and she could stand properly, she'd only measure half the height of Cirno. It was no wonder from where the strength came to swing an unbashira like a baseball bat.

Before she says anything, the very tall woman looks from left to right, "Is Kazami Yuuka not present?"

Hearing that name so suddenly Marisa isn't sure what to think, but if the previous incarnation and this stupidly over-powered version both have an affinity for frogs, then it could be easily assumed the ice fairy Cirno has an influence on this one and vice-versa. Everyone the ice fairy knows this ancient should as well. Still, why would she bring up that Yuuka?

"What are you trying to do?" Marisa asks almost without her willpower, like it was a question that must be asked no matter who was standing there.

"This world is corrupt," Cirno finally exhausts her search, now facing the magician directly. "I'm going to put an end to this era and bring everything back to beginnings. From the corpse of this world another shall be born, hopefully better than the last."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Why shouldn't I? This ugly, terrible world exists only by the destruction of others. At this rate you will destroy everything so thoroughly a new world would be impossible. I cannot allow that to happen."

Marisa felt a shiver down her spine. This Cirno has full confidence in herself, and the scope of her intentions are completely feasible for her. As this world's representative her only option was with words. If she, or any, try to use force they'd end up no different than Kanako.

"How do you know we'll destroy ourselves? Humanity can learn and-"

"This world learns too late!" Cirno's raised voice carries no anger, only sorrow. "Time and again it only realizes it's blunder after it's gone too far. What was that poor ice fairy's sin? That she was born from me? That she was too powerful? For what reason did she suffer death over and over again until her spirit finally broke? Tell me!"

Marisa couldn't say anything. This was the situation she tried to avoid at all costs, but her own power could control only so much. In a way she understood what Cirno was saying, and the emotion from which it stemmed. While Marisa struggled for the best solution, it felt like she was going against the tide. No matter how hard she pushed forward, the force which pushed back was always stronger. Remilia, Hati, and now Kanako and Suwako. What else opposed her in finding a peaceful solution?

"Your expression tells me you understand, but your words hold no power. Because you couldn't solve this by force you now resort to words and begging, but such trifle actions cannot bring about results. Know that you've taken one step, one step too far and have done irreparable harm. All that remains is to suffer the consequences."

Beg, the option she didn't wish to admit to. However, with how things were it was her only shot.

"You hold the power to stop this, don't you? It's not like you can't turn this around."

"You are correct, but I will not change my mind. Nothing you could say to me, nothing you could show me, would prove to me that this world is worth saving."

Maybe a weakness has already been shown, "And what about that one," Marisa points to Suwako. "If you're so taken with her, are you going to let her die in this new world you create?"

"I hold no power over who lives and who dies. If this one dies then I shall bury her. You will not be able to make me compromise. I've already buried many, many, many loved ones. Meetings and partings throughout life are inevitable and impossible to defy. This one will too die eventually, but I can no more control _when_ any more than she can. If you cannot accept this you'll be crushed by the weight of your own sorrow."

A contradiction has appeared in her reasoning, "You're not doing this out of some abstract duty or noble intention, are you? _You_ are the one being crushed by the weight of your own sorrow!"

Giving a pained smile, a single tear rolls out of the corner of her eye, "Again you are correct. I've seen too much, loved too much, hated too much. If there's anyone who can't accept the realities of life, it is I. I am a selfish, hardheaded woman, which is precisely why you cannot change my mind."

As she declares this, a group now descends upon the pair's conversation. It's those from the Scarlet Devil Mansion: Patchouli, Meiling, Koakuma, and Keine. After witnessing the aftermath of Kanako's battle, they look fit for war. Marisa scrambles to stop them.

"This is as good a time as any, I guess," Cirno announces, stopping everyone in their traces regardless.

Still holding Suwako in her arms, she steps forward and faces the crowd. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, she begins.

_To all living creatures, I am Cirno! I seek to end this world! All shall be covered in ice and snow! Embrace your fate and slowly perish along with this current era!_

Which was spoken was not done so aloud. Not from a mouth but a mind. Inside each and every one of their heads was the voice of Cirno. Not only those present heard that declaration, but all those without. Everyone in Gensokyo now knew of the perpetrator to this catastrophe, and also did they know the solution. The flames Marisa so desperately tried to douse have just spread uncontrollably. Armed conflict is now impossible to avoid.

Marisa's arms fell to her sides, no longer trying to hold back her companions. However, they did not move and instead await the magician's initiative. Turning back, Marisa approaches and confronts Cirno.

"This is what you really want! You want them to destroy you! What you want to do is die?"

She says none of this. It's understood so fundamentally that it doesn't require saying. As Cirno herself said, irreparable damage has been done. Only one course of action remains.

Turning her back on Cirno without saying anything, Marisa addresses her friends, "Let's go back to the mansion. We have a strategy we need to prepare."

A pain of failure permeates from every pore in her body. While she believes that it's Cirno's wish to die, she also knows she's too strong for them to kill. Perhaps she's far more immortal than even Mokou and Kaguya. Even if there was no choice but to fight and Cirno's dearest wish was to die, there was no guarantee it would happen. It's all the more likely that all of them would be killed and the world suffer another Ice Age. This was Cirno's gamble; her own destruction or the prospect of a new world offering what she seeks. In her mind either outcome must lead to a victory.

"'I hold no power over who lives and who dies,' eh?" Marisa says to herself, under her breath.

Limping towards her broom, she places it between her legs and takes to the air. Gradually everyone else follows suit, and Cirno and Suwako are left alone.

Seeing the party off, Cirno than raises a foot and stomps it on the ground. To her rear, over the frozen surface of Misty Lake, a block of ice emerges. As she approaches it molds and takes a different shape. By all intensive purposes it looks like a seat, but as she sits it continues to change. It's not a simple chair, it's a throne.


	26. To Each His Own

War Effort

If anyone was skeptical of Patchouli's invitation, they weren't after hearing the telepathic broadcast by Cirno. While they received a positive response, some of whom didn't appear was disappointing. However, even without them the Scarlet Devil Mansion has gathered a formidable fighting force.

Representing the Scarlet Devil Mansion was the usual who haven't already been beat or detained. Acting as the new mistress and coordinator of this force was Patchouli Knowledge. Koakuma acted as her aid and Hong Meiling bodyguard.

Next with a strong showing was Eientei. Both of the rabbits, Tewi Inaba and Reisen Udongein Inaba came with their master Eirin Yagokoro. For reasons involving their mistress's safety, Kaguya Houraisan couldn't leave the mansion despite the dire threat they faced. While having an immortal would certainly help, they were in fact the at least risk.

However, that was the last of the organized volunteers, the rest where stragglers from here and there. Marisa Kirisame arrived with Letty Whiterock and Lily White, but the latter two wouldn't prove much worth considering the enemy. Keine Kamishirasawa was the first to arrive, and she assured Fujiwara no Mokou would also come sooner or later (Eirin kept Mokou's jailbreak to herself). Aya Shameimaru, the tengu reporter, arrived with the help of Momiji Inubashiri. Unfortunately the tengu broke her wing when Cirno canceled all magic, thus leaving her unable to utilize her speed. Another welcome addition was Nitori Kawashiro, a kappa with the advanced knowledge of technology. Also did those frequently attracted to incidents arrive, the puppeteer Alice Margatroid and half human half ghost Youmu Konpaku.

Of all those who arrived there were noticeable absences. Most notable was Reimu Hakurei, but the fairy dispatched to her shrine returned with the news that Suika Ibuki and herself were working on something that could have a major impact on the battle and to expect them later. Also, it was impossible to get in contact with the Underworld. Since the youkai invasion it's been impossible traveling to and from the Ancient City and The Palace of the Earth Spirits, so they wouldn't be able to rely on the support of a mind-reader or her pets. It was a disappointment, but they had their own crisis to deal with. They did manage to get in contact with Byakuren Hijiri and her group, but they have their hands full trying to keep the humans in the village from panicking. Nue Houjou proved completely uncooperative. Also, the Wild and Horned Hermit Kasen Ibara wasn't locatable.

Thankfully, before checking in with the Scarlet Devil Mansion, no one else was stupid enough to try and confront Cirno on their own. Currently Kanako Yasaka and Suwako Moriya were out of action, but might recover and be added later on. Also were Sakuya Izayoi and Yuuka Kazami currently elsewhere, and their return is in question.

All of these people have gathered at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Currently it's noon, the time Patchouli and Marisa agreed to cut off the waiting period. Some more stragglers might make their way here, but for now they need to start getting organized. Not more than a day ago Remilia had gathered all her employees and given a speech. Now here lies the hope of the world and Patchouli doing the same. The lowly librarian almost said, "screw it," and let the world end before she'd give a speech, but Marisa promised to be with her and provide her comfort. Now both stand together and address the hope of the world.

"F-f-f-f-first I-I'd l-like t-to than-thank you a-a-all for coming," Patchouli's eyes are glued on a speech she's prepared. "A-a-as y-you ma-may already know-?"

Marisa yanks the papers from her friend's hands and tosses them to the side, scattering them all over the stage. Patchouli takes a couple steps as to quickly collect them, but once she hears the first snickers from the crowd she knows it'll be futile. She sighs and hangs her head.

"Just tell them what you want to say," Marisa whispers into her ear. "Tell them what this means to you."

Anyone can tell that Patchouli is gathering her courage. A face filled with emotion, eyes slightly moist, blushing from ear to ear, and a warm smile across her lips; she nods to Marisa. With stronger determination the librarian again faces her audience.

"I don't have many friends," though her voice still isn't particularly loud. "Not many people to push me on my back and force me to do things I wouldn't have the courage to do on my own. This morning I lost a friend. She was someone who coddled and enabled me so that I could find the environment that would never be outside my comfort zone. However, that isn't possible at all times. She rarely asked me to do much, but the last time I saw her she asked me to save the world. I thought, 'You must be kidding.' But to get me to do that, to get all of us to do that, she gave us the greatest push she could; she sacrificed her own life.

"All of you are here today not only because you've received my invitation, but because you've all heard _her_ message. Let me tell you; it is no idle threat. Many of you know of Cirno, but none of you know the monster she has become. Seeing that none of you have tried to solve this incident on your own lets me know you've recognized that fact. The rampaging youkai, the completely sealing of the Gensokyo Boundary, the changing of the seasons, all of you have experienced these things. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that this is all Cirno's doings, and as expressed in her declaration, she intends to destroy the entire world. This is no ultimatum, no bluff, if we do not stop her here, she _will_ accomplish her goal.

"We have gathered here today because we do not wish such an end. Remilia Scarlet, Flandre Scarlet, Kanako Yasaka, Suwako Moriya, all of whom I mentioned have attempted to battle Cirno, and all have lost. This is a threat no one person can handle alone. Neither can two, three, or four even hope to put an end to this incident. It's going to take all of us, every single able body in Gensokyo to do what we can to stop this never-ending winter."

Just then Patchouli realizes she's run out of things to say. Looking over to Marisa, the black and white magician shrugs then takes center stage. As she does, though, she whispers into her friend's ear,

"Remilia would be jealous of that speech."

Now facing the assembled warriors, she begins, "Well, I'll be honest with you, ze, I don't think we can win this. Forget everything you knew about the old Cirno. This one is a serious badass. She caught Kanako's onbashira and swung it around like a child's play sword, and Suwako's iron rings bounce off her like they were made of rubber. She's as strong as an oni, tougher than an immortal, and doesn't even waste a breath casting spells that are flashier than my own. If there was a possible weakness, it would be that she's slow. Cirno is no more mobile than Yukari after a long nap or Yuyuko after a meal. Also does she not particularly care about winning or losing. She an ancient, far older than any of us can count, and she doesn't care about rushing things. Any time we choose to face her she'll answer our challenge, but don't make the mistake of putting this off until we are thoroughly prepared. As we wait the temperature will continue to drop, and she'll continue to grow in power. If we are to do this, we have to do it now, and if we fail today, it might be best to turn around and spend the rest of our days with our friends and loved ones.

"But enough of that doom and gloom, ze. You weren't invited here just so that we could give up. It will be difficult but not impossible. A complete frontal assault would be suicide, so we have to go about this smartly; utilizing each of us to the best of our abilities. I have a plan."

A brief reprieve

"Um," Suwako's a little nervous and raises her voice, "Exactly how long are you going to keep me like this? Eventually I'm going to have to eat and stuff."

Ever since the group's left her, Cirno's sat on her throne in the middle of Misty Lake. Still within her grasp is the petite goddess Suwako Moriya, clutched to the very tall woman's chest like some kind of plush doll. Thus far she's merely held the goddess and sat quiet.

"You don't have to say anything," Cirno's deep voice is more like a breath than actual speech, "I know. But if you could just humor an old lady I'd appreciate it."

Calling herself an "old lady" made Suwako recognize the sensation she felt. It was like she was a kid who'd just been caught by her grandmother, and is now forced to sit on her lap until the old crone got tired of her.

"I don't exactly get what's going on with you," Suwako says, "but there's got to be a ton of reasons why you wouldn't want to destroy the world."

Cirno doesn't respond, but it seems like she's listening.

Continuing, "I know I may look like this, but I'm a mother. A very long time ago there was a man who wasn't terrified or in awe of my divinity. He was just a human with a very limited lifespan, but something in him drew us together and we had a baby. Of course time effects differently, god and humans, and he passed away. Unable to properly care for a human baby, I handed the child to some good townspeople, and stepped away. The child grew into a woman, had children of her own, and eventually too passed away.

"It was sad to watch my child wither away and die, but I discovered something even more splendid than having a baby, and that was watching the family I started flourish and grow. Even after I only watched and lost my standing as a god, surrendering it to that lunkhead over there," she motions to where Kanako's body must be, underneath that giant pillar, "they continued to survive. Now, over a thousand years and generations later, I've been blessed to meet my great granddaughter. It's brought back meaning to my life," her voice losses it's child-like tone, suddenly becoming refined and mature, "and I would gladly sacrifice it to protect her."

At different parts of the story, Suwako could feel Cirno's grasp on her tighten and loosen, so she knew the ancient was paying attention. For a while she retained her silence, but the mini-goddess is certain she'd respond.

"I don't know how I came to be. I don't know if I had a mother or father. All of a sudden I was. I was born in a vast blue world. In that world there was nothing but endless blue and myself. For unknown eons I was alone. Then suddenly there was another. He wasn't like me, assuming it was a 'he,' but he was someone else none the less. I approached him, tried in some way to communicate, but he said one and only one word, 'Cirno.'" Here she half laughs, "Honestly, I don't even know what that means. He might have been giving me a name, or telling me my butt was fat, but since he said that word it's what I've used to associate myself. Unfortunately we were not alike at all and he shortly died. I don't know where he came from, or what he was doing here, but his brief existence was likely what truly gave birth to me.

"Time didn't pass as it did before. Slowly but surely things began to change. Suddenly in my world of blue other things existed. Small, nearly invisible creatures that were very much alive. Over the ages they grew and grew, never stopping as they were never satisfied. They grew larger and larger, some even larger than myself and I continued to watch over them all the time.

"Eventually they were no longer satisfied with the land of blue, so they searched and discovered a world I never thought existed, a world above the blue, a world of brown. Gradually they changed it and somehow added green. They were no longer satisfied with that and traveled to the world above. Eventually I came to realize it was all one world, what you know as the Sea, Land, and Sky. I watched and marveled over how they grew, changed, and expanded my own horizon. However, having challenged everything there was to this world, even then were they unsatisfied. Having nowhere else to go they too began to wither and die. Saddened by this, I learned of a brand new aspect of myself, and I froze the world in white. Unfortunately many could not survive in this white world, but some did. After the white ended and the world again became blue and green, new life started and they found ways to reach even further than those who came before. This cycle repeated time and again until we reached today.

"I might be incapable of rearing a child, but I understanding watching something you adore grow and mature. Unfortunately the end of that is always disappointment and despair. If you live long enough that family you created will one day break your heart. Eventually you'll come to realize that the wishes you have for them are not the wishes they have for themselves. One day the two paths will become so skewed that it will completely disgust you. Thankfully most don't live long enough to discover such a truth, so maybe it's better that only I have. It is my place to destroy this ugly and horrible age before it truly becomes a nightmare."

Just had Cirno did for her, Suwako listened to the ancient's tale. This being wasn't a person who could be swayed by words. Not only did she have experiences that closely matched Suwako's own, but she had infinite more that were considered greater. Simply put, Cirno was an existence beyond the reach of any other. Maybe she was right, and Sanae would cause Suwako grief and pain, and if not her maybe her eventual child. However, maybe the goddess herself wouldn't live long enough to see the day it would happen. If that's the case, then Cirno is guilty of what may be the ultimate sin; living far too long. Even if Cirno is ultimately right, Suwako won't accept it. She will clutch onto the lies and fight with all her might to protect her bloodline. Not just that, but her friends and enemies too. She will not allow this world to die.

"We'll never understand you," Suwako tells Cirno.

"No," and she answers calmly, warmly, "you never will. So that means there are only two solutions to this conflict; You kill me or die in the cold."

Right then one of the onbashira stuck into the ground shakes, and eventually falls over. From underneath, the goddess Kanako Yasaka rises to her feet, battered and greatly injured.

"Right on time," Cirno points out. "I would love nothing more than to keep you all to myself, but absolutely nothing in this world goes the way I want."

The very tall ancient woman releases her grasp on the goddess, as if she were telling her grandchild that it was alright to go play again. Suwako hops from her lap and lands a meter away from the throne. After dusting her backside she turns and faces Cirno.

"If there was anything you ever wanted from this world, what would it have been?"

Cirno is surprised by the sudden question, but she smiles and calmly answers, "I wished you would have treated the ice fairy a little better. She had odd ways of expressing her love and was too powerful for her own comprehension, but she greatly cared about you and the other frogs. If there was another way, I would have left the fate of the planet in her hands, but you personally saw to it no longer being possible."

Suwako froze. Was this possibly all Kanako and her's fault?

"Cirno was in a transition phase. She'd grown able enough to house my power. When I tried to transfer my power into the ice fairy, our egos came to a clash. It was inevitable, and the byproduct of that battle was our power leaking from our vessel. Given enough time she would have proven superior and I would have disappeared, but because of continued interference the process was terminated and it was the ice fairy who's spirit broke."

Nothing could Suwako say to this development.

"You don't have to blame yourself," Cirno read her thoughts. "If it wasn't you it would have been someone else. It's a trend that I've come to recognize over my very long life. If I were to put it into terms that you would understand, I would call it 'fate.' Fate is a seemingly random set of occurrences that pushes events towards a certain direction. It's something that no one person could ever hope to overturn. It's something I hate very much."

Behind Suwako, Kanako is limping in their direction, but she trips and falls.

"You better go tend to your companion god. This place will soon become a battlefield, and she will die if she stays here in her current condition."

The miniature goddess turns to Kanako, then back to Cirno. Unable to say anything, all she can do is bow and then leave her for her friend. While they spoke on friendly terms in this meeting, at the next they will be trying to kill each other.

"Head towards Remilia's mansion," Cirno calls to the pair. "It seems the resistance will be headquartered there."

Sole opposition

A hazy image is before her. Nearly is it completely unrecognizable, but because of it's outline and the way it moves, it's probably a human. However, it's a person adorned in a lot of white.

This person tries to say something, and maybe she might be able to hear, but a spiking, driving pain is in her head and she can't comprehensively put two pieces of information together. Enduring this suffering it take's all her willpower even have rudimentary thoughts.

"Daiyousei-" but she recognizes her name.

At that moment her world clears and she recognizes the figure before her, "Mokou?"

"Dai-chan! Thank goodness! You're coming through."

As everything goes into focus she can tell she's in some kind of cabin. Looking around Daiyousei can see books, nick-knacks, and garbage littered about.

"Where am I?"

"I've taken you to my house. Do you remember what happened? You were imprisoned in Eientei."

Yes, that sounds familiar. They wanted the details about what happened to Cirno just after Reisen was knocked out by Flandre. That information was of little importance, but then they started asking what she knew about Hati and her friend's ancient past. If they knew they'd jump to conclusions and try to harm her. Daiyousei had to keep that a secret to protect her friends.

"I remember," she tells her immortal companion. "Do you know what's happening now? How is Cirno?"

Apparently that was more to the point than Mokou would have hoped for. Nervousness is openly apparent.

"Well, I guess you can say she's okay. Actually, she's woken up."

"Cirno's awake?" she leaps from the bed, momentarily immune from her migraine. "Where is she? I want to see her!"

As she reads Mokou's expression, Daiyousei solemnly calms. She can tell something is very wrong.

"Listen, Dai-chan, it's Cirno, but it's not the Cirno you know."

Mokou tells her of the mysterious quake and her loss of magic, and the telepathic message that occurred a few minutes thereafter. Yet somehow Daiyousei doesn't appear very surprised.

"So everybody knows," she summarizes.

"Yes. Patchouli is organizing a resistance at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. She's planning to hit Cirno with everything she has."

"I see," is Daiyousei's simple response.

There's silence as the immortal is waiting for her friend to say something, but the fairy says nothing. Finally, "What are you going to do?"

Daiyousei is certainly taking this news calmer than Mokou expected her to. There's an odd, eerie atmosphere that made the powerful immortal's hair stand on ends. After a few minutes Daiyousei makes her decision.

"I'm going to stop her."

That wasn't exactly clear, "Who?"

"Patchouli...and Cirno. I'm going to stop the both of them. If you don't want to help me anymore, I'd understand. I don't need you to guide me anymore."

After hearing that, Mokou sighs. Then laughs.

"Of course I'm with you. Besides, I'm an immortal. What's the worst that can happen to me?"


	27. Opening Bell

The beginning of the End

After being alone for half an hour, Cirno opens her eyes. Three figures stand before her on the far shore of Misty Lake. One is a purple-haired rabbit in a blazer and short skirt, another is a short-haired blond girl with bright blue eyes and six dolls hovering behind her, and the last is a pallid figure closely trailed by a will-o-wisp. Of the three, the last is of particular note. She's a slender girl of porcelain skin and likewise hair. Her entire figure is so pale that it's like no blood pumps through her veins. Also, that empyreal ball of white mass circles around as if possessing her. What's more of note are the pair of katana that rest on her hip.

Cirno rises from her throne knowing full-well the intentions of the trio. Behind her ocean eyes something begins to shine. Some sort of power and mass are channeling into her hands. Other than that she is motionless, like awaiting the starter's pistol to commence a race.

"Don't think she doesn't know your powers," a voice buzzes from the device hidden in Reisen's large rabbit ear. "It's like Suwako said, there's a very strong possibility that this Cirno was completely aware when the Ice Fairy was in control."

Pressing the button on the device attached to her hip, "Yes, I understand Marisa. And like you said, she's just standing there watching us. I don't think she'll do anything until we initiate an attack."

"She's in no hurry at all, so we can take as much time as we need. Remember, Team 3rd Wheel's objective is to measure her powers, not to defeat her."

"When did we ever decided on that name?" Alice cuts in.

"I just did, ze," explains Marisa. "Remember, focus on defense and draw out her powers."

"We need to discover her weakness and exploit it," the half human half phantom Youmu didn't speak into the radio. "If I see an opportunity I'm taking it."

Taking a step onto the frozen lake, Youmu is welcomed by Cirno throwing two orbs into the air.

"Here, we go," the half ghost leads.

Suddenly the battle takes to the skies. All four lift above the ground and accept an aerial battlefield. Those two orbs fire icicles in all directions, revolving in place as they do. It's easy enough to avoid, and Reisen prepares a spell while she does. She pulls slightly ahead of the group.

"Wait!" Alice yells.

The moon rabbit didn't notice in time, but a hail of ice is now coming from her sides. All those icicles that drifted too far off course have now turned and are homing in on their targets. Even though there were two orbs, Cirno was effectively attacking from three directions; from the front, left, and right sides. This forward and crisscross pattern can take you by surprise when you see it for the first time.

A doll quickly leave's Alice's side and rushes to Reisen. Before the moon rabbit can be blind-sided, the doll, equipped with a shield and lance, blocks the attacks that are coming from her left.

"What-"

She doesn't get to finish that remark when she notices the hail also coming from her right. Pulling back she manages to avoid the sides as well as the front, but she has since abandoned her own attack.

Youmu has seen through this pattern, and confidently pushes forward. Extending her sword at her phantom, the spectre grabs hold and is manipulated by the blade. Youmu takes a swing, hurling her other half far to the side. In it's wake is a long trail of magic bullets, all heading towards Cirno in a wave.

Unfortunately none meet their target. Magic collisions are actually rare. Normally they pass right by another and continue towards their goal, but when it does happen the two attacks usually cancel the other. However, when Youmu's bullets approach Cirno, they all crash into icicles like it was no mere coincidence. What's more, the icicles themselves are completely unharmed, continuing towards the trio as if nothing happened.

"Impossible!" Youmu voices her disbelief.

Reisen, now recovered, points her finger at Cirno and fires. As if it were a real gun, actual bullets shoots from her fingertips. What's more, hundreds of similar bullets also appear, all offset from where her arm actually aimed. This volley includes a multitude more than Youmu's.

Suddenly a very large ice-boulder is directly ahead of her, absorbing all of the bullets with absolutely no outcome. Since Reisen was distracted, she can't find a path to avoid this new threat while avoiding all the smaller ones.

"Hell Realm Sword," Youmu swiftly appears before Reisen, "200 Yojana in 1 Slash!"

With the wide arc of her sword slash, the giant ice-boulder and all surrounding icicles are cut, exploding in a puff of white mist. For a few seconds the trio have shelter.

"Sorry," the rabbit apologizes, "I was careless!"

Not acknowledging the sentiment, "We need to get in closer."

Now joined by Alice, "This spell is more complicated than I thought. If you have any ideas I'll take them."

"Whatever the case we need to get closer," Reisen says. "I can't use my lunacy unless I can make eye contact, and my illusions won't make a difference unless we can attack."

The brief pause is almost up as the icicles Youmu's slash couldn't reach now approach, "Notice how Cirno is just sitting there," and it was very true, since her first spell she hasn't moved a muscle, "she looks like a queen." Now they have to start dodging again. "I bet she's absolutely terrible in close range!"

Thus the plan was set. Of the three, the obvious choice for melee combat would be the sword-wielding Youmu. It was the job of the other two to somehow clear a path so she could approach.

Alice's lance and shield doll now protects herself who's taken position as vanguard. As it blocks the icicles, a large magic crest is generated, greatly increasing the area of the guard. More of those large boulders are being thrown, and that little doll alone won't be enough. Reisen acts fast.

"Lunatic Sign, Hallucinogenic Tuning!"

Suddenly multiple Alices, Reisens, and Youmus appear. The smaller icicles are being shot in a fixed pattern, but the large boulders are being properly aimed. All of them begin to veer off-course and leave the real Alice unharmed.

Cracks are starting to appear on the doll's shield crest. It can't hold out much longer. Not that that matters, the puppeteer has finally finished casting her next spell.

"Demonic Control, Return Inanimate!"

Four of the dolls following her suddenly jerk and bend in unnatural motions. Only the one with the lance and shield and another are unaffected. Uncoincidentally, these are her two favorite dolls.

As if they were garbage, the dolls fling themselves into the maelstrom, one after another in a straight line. The first travels a bit of a distance, but is hit by an icicle. At that moment it explodes in a massive burst of magical energy. Every piece of ice that was within the blast-radius has been eradicated, and there is a vast safe zone without attacks. In that wake the rest of the dolls follow. One after another they journey as far as they can, get hit, and then clear an even larger area for safe travel. Unfortunately the forth and final doll is stopped just short of reaching Cirno.

Youmu takes the place a fifth doll could not. Using Alice's sacrifice, the half-ghost swordswoman is now within reach of the ancient world slayer.

"200 Yojana in 1 Slash!"

Youmu's strongest singular sword slash tears through Cirno, slicing right across her midsection. Absolute confidence did the sword-wielder have in her skill. Nothing existed that she couldn't cut.

"Behind you!" Reisen shouts, also following but not as quickly in the safe zone created by Alice's dolls.

Turning rapidly, all Youmu sees is a wall of blue cloud her vision. At the next moment she is hit with massive impact and hurled to the ground. It could have been a lot worse; the ground was packed with snow. Youmu's impact is particularly light and she recovers from the blow quickly. Once she's regained her bearings she realizes what happened.

Cirno gracefully touches ground directly ahead of her. The ancient world slayer wasn't so ridiculously tough that a master sword technique couldn't cut her, but it was that she wasn't cut in the first place. Clutched tightly in her left hand is a massive shield made of ice; a large gash across the center. It was this Cirno used to block.

"You don't think I've lived this long and only had magic to show for it, did you?" Cirno taunts.

Youmu readies her katana for continued combat.

Stretching out her right hand, a massive ice spike grows before Cirno. Grabbing it, it morphs into what almost looks like a monster's talon, but clearly this is supposed to be a sword. It's long, but nowhere near as tall as her. In comparison, it's probably got a reach 1 1/2 times Youmu's. With these two tools in hand, the very tall queen-like woman is now horribly sinister.

Only now is Youmu aware of the sweat dripping from her brow. From afar she couldn't tell that well, but now that she's close she realizes that this is the most intimidating person she's ever met. That height, that stature, the aura emanating from every pore, and now those weapons, nothing about this Cirno could make Youmu believe that there was any possible chance for victory. This ancient wasn't the princess she once believed, but a champion most at home on a battlefield. Youmu's own self was only acquainted with training in a dojo and singular, or a very low number of opponents. Cirno seemed likely to laugh in the face of war. The once steady sword rattles in the swordwoman's grasp. But it's not unlike she's never faced overwhelming pressure before. Steadying her nerves she prepares for combat.

"Excellent," Cirno applauds while keeping a steady hold on her shield, "for a moment it looked like you were going to faint when you realized the difference between us. It wouldn't be fun if you could properly use your skills."

Right at that moment Reisen is directly behind her. Not even taking the effort to look back, Cirno stomps her right foot. In an instant a massive wall of ice is erected, measuring a hundred meters long and several dozen high. It would take the rabbit a minute or two to go above or around, and worse yet she'd have to dodge the icicles and boulders once more. For now it would only be these two.

"We can't go having any interruptions."

Cirno began to circle her opponent. Keeping her shield steady, all that's visible to Youmu is Cirno's deep blue eyes and the top of her head. A Japanese-style katana was at a huge disadvantage against someone carrying a shield, and this wielder seems particularly meticulous in it's usage.

"Spirit," as Youmu calls this, her phantom rapidly speeds to her side, "Secret of Life and Death!"

The intangible ball of white mass takes shape and form, completely copying it's master. Now before Cirno are two Youmus.

"Interesting," Cirno mumbles.

One of the two dash to the left, and the other to the right. Cirno's determination is unwavering as she continues to circle. As the first approaches she only slightly maneuvers her shield to block the first blow. Immediately does the second come from what should have been a open defense, but Cirno is quick enough to swing herself around and block the second blow as well. Youmu doesn't let herself get surprised and quickly backs away. It shows true experience that Cirno didn't even consider counter attacking.

"Both are real," she analyzes.

Indeed both of the attacks are real, but to say she is now outnumbered two-to-one isn't. Both are Youmu, and at the same time they're one. As a matter of fact, Youmu is one person sharing two different bodies. One is the human and the other her trailing spectre, each as real as the other. Unlike the human half, the phantom half can change it's shape, but it's still a phantom. To say each half has equal abilities and characteristics would be false.

The two Youmus make another run. However, Cirno notices something odd. One seems faster than the other but is running at a slower pace as to match speeds. Many wouldn't notice or knew what it meant.

As the slower runner approaches and swings her blade, Cirno steps forward and pushes with her shield. Making impact sooner than expected, Youmu is physically stunned by the block. That action, however, has left Cirno completely vulnerable to the second, faster Youmu. Abandoning her shield, Cirno grabs her sword with both hands and makes a mighty swipe. Youmu does exactly the same. By all accounts this should be a dual sacrificing attack.

"Stop!" the blocked Youmu yells for some reason.

Cirno's blade proves slightly quicker, tearing through the second Youmu with ruthless aggression. However, what should have been a dual strike was cut short. The moment Cirno's sword sinks into Youmu, the body of the girl flickers. After that it losses all shape as well as it's sword. No dual exchange was made. It was the immaterial phantom that was defeated.

Still reeling from the block, Youmu has to ask, "How did you know?"

Calmly returning to her shield, "It was obvious, really. That doppelganger had very little weight. Unlike you who's feet sink into the snow, the clone's did not. Naturally that would be better suited for fighting in this environment. Since it wasn't carrying a real sword, the moment it was dispelled it's attacks would also be nullified. Thus the clear choice would be to dispatch it before dispatching you. Since I knew which was which a suicide attack was the best option."

No normal person could make such judgments so quickly and calmly. Immense experience separates the two.

"Surely that can't be all you have," mocked Cirno. "It's time for round two."

At forward command

"What do you see?" Marisa asks to one to her side.

To whom was being asked, it's a very animalistic breed of youkai. While most of her body is human, instead of hair her head is covered with fur, long canine ears, and a white tail. Dull red eyes squint carefully as she peers into the distance.

"It's no good. The three have been completely isolated. Reisen went down pretty quickly when that wall was formed, Alice looks like she needs time to regroup, and it's only a matter of time before Youmu's beat."

Peeking to the side, the magician spies the white wolf youkai's own sword and shield, "What do you think of Cirno's skill with weapons?"

"I hate to admit it, but she's much better than me. That shield is just as large as her, but it doesn't slow her down in the least, and every swing of her sword hits a target. To put it simply, she's very careful. Cirno could probably take out a thousand Youmus and not receive a scratch."

Scratching her head, Marisa turns away from the lookout/observer and back towards the crowd.

Currently this group is stationed on the patio balcony of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Most are gathered outside, circled around Patchouli as they try to discuss teams, formations, and strategies. Inside the mansion are the injured, currently Kanako and Aya, and Suwako by her companion's side, but surely more will be added.

"Has Letty been sent yet?" Marisa asks Patchouli.

"Yes."

Because Letty's and Cirno's powers don't effect each other, the yuki-onna had been assigned the task of retrieving the injured. After all, being able to safely traverse the battlefield is an invaluable asset. Patchouli thought the best way to utilize this skill was to have her evacuate those who could no longer fight. Once Reisen was retrieved Letty would likely be sent back to pick up Youmu.

"Letty's got Reisen," the wolf youkai, Momiji announces. "Alice is disengaging."

Patchouli puts a finger to her lips as she thinks aloud, "This is bad. I at least thought those three could do more to Cirno, but they couldn't land a single hit."

"Yeah, they really made us look bad, ze."

Nobody appreciates Marisa's humor.

"The thing is, Cirno heavily favors defense. With her normal attacks canceling ours, and that shield of hers, she'll keep ticking away at us from a safe distance until we get tired and mess up."

"But the same should work both ways, shouldn't it," this was the voice of another, the second strategist in the planning of this operation, Tewi. She might not have appeared very intimidating, but she's pretty old and has vast experience commanding the rabbits of Earth. Many wouldn't have realized, but she is very tactically-minded. "As long as we keep sending in these teams one by one, even Cirno would get tired."

"You would think so," Patchouli points out, "but we have to be able to push her to make that happen. You saw what happened, she barely moved until Youmu got close. And even when she's fighting in close quarters combat, she takes no unnecessary actions. She isn't reckless in the least."

"Patchouli," Momiji calls.

"What is it? Is Youmu down?"

"No, she's hanging in there, but something strange is going on. Alice, Letty, and Reisen have left the battle, but those two orbs keep shooting at nothing."

After hearing this the war coordinator hangs her head, "Great. It's just like what happened when she was asleep. Cirno has automated defenses."

"Ze?" Marisa clumsily asks.

"It means she isn't controlling the spell. It's a 'set it and forget it' kind of thing."

"And that's bad?"

"Yes it's bad! It means she doesn't have to focus on it to keep it sustained. Well, it's a valuable piece of information nonetheless. We now know two more things she can do. First off, two shouldn't be a limit for how many of those annoying things she can create, and next is that she can cast more than one spell at a time."

Marisa had to amazed by that, "Two spells at the same time? I've never heard of somebody doing that!"

Patchouli had to agree, "Yes, that's a rule of magic that, before now, couldn't be broken. It's possible to combine two spells together, but not to cast the two separately." Her eyebrow twitches, like she just thought of something, "Wait a second, that might not be the case. It might still be possible to do if she isn't controlling the spell at all, like creating a ward with it's own independent supply of magical energy."

"Oh, yeah. I got some of those around my house."

"Exactly. But what Cirno could be doing would be different. To create something at the level of those orbs would require a massive amount of magic upfront, instead of continuing to 'feed it' over time. I might be able to do it, but after that I'd need over a day to recover my strength."

"And she cast two of them like they were nothing, ze."

"Exactly. They'll continue to fire in that set pattern until it's magic expires. If Cirno was willing to sacrifice this much magic for an opening act, then that helps us gauge her capacity."

"So she's got a freaking lot of magic, ze."

Patchouli sighs, "Yeah. Momiji, how is Youmu doing?"

"Cirno's just playing with her now. I'm afraid if she gets bored she'll really kill her."

Nodding, the commander turns to the kappa near the large radio, "Nitori, tell her to pull out."

"Roger," the radio operator answers back. "Youmu, do you copy? Retreat immediately."

From Momiji's vantage she can see the swordswoman take her blade in one hand and operate the transceiver, "No can do. It's taking everything I have just to keep her from landing the finishing blow. If I turn my back on her she'll kill me."

"_-hey what's that?_" Cirno can be heard asking in the background.

"How much longer can you hold out there?"

"I'd like to say 10 minutes, but I just want to get out of here. Please, make it as soon as possible."

"_-come on, what is it?_"

Youmu said, "Please," so that couldn't have been a good sign. She might have the temperament of a warrior, but she's scared. Facing such a terrifyingly powerful opponent all by yourself couldn't be asked of anyone. Being in the presence of certain death for so long, it was no surprise that Youmu's spirit is breaking.

"Okay, relief is on the way."

Patchouli turns from the radio and towards the group, "Okay, Team Mammary, you're up." The three in question throw her a discouraging look but follow orders nonetheless. "You are to break through those orbs and rescue Youmu as quickly as possible. Once you've engaged Cirno she should be able to escape."

The three nod.

"Wait a second," Marisa interrupts. "You said that those orbs attack without any control, right? Then why don't you just go around it?"

For a moment, there is silence. Since Cirno was distracted with Youmu, she likely didn't even know that Alice and Reisen were gone. Likewise, should other approach she wouldn't even know until she spotted them or they attacked. As long as they can keep her from setting up automated defenses, her focus would be split.

However, Patchouli wouldn't admit that Marisa was right, "New plan, sneak up on Cirno then attack."

* * *

_Happy Cirno Day!_

_What? Don't tell me you didn't know 9 September (9-9) is the Strongest Day? Well now you do and don't forget it! Anyway, to celebrate I'm releasing 3 consecutive chapters! Why 3 chapters? Well, 3 is the square root of 9, and I didn't have 9 chapters prepared to be released, so there you go. Anyway, have fun this Sunday and be careful out there. There is only one Strongest, and we don't respawn if we get hurt.  
_

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	28. Roster

Changing shifts

"Will you at least let me see it?" Cirno asks with childlike curiosity.

Youmu tries to ignore her pandering. To this ultra-powerful being the radio attached to her opponent's hip was more interesting than the opponent herself. It's utterly insulting to Youmu's pride, but the icy chill of fear made her feel as if she were foolishly trying to cut down a mountain. Cirno is something beyond skillful, powerful, and even obtainable; she's an impossible existence. Nothing that Youmu could do would defeat this opponent. From where this thought stemmed she didn't know, but after facing her by herself for so long she knew it to be true. Everything Cirno did was perfect; her footwork, her blocks, her attacks, her judgment. This was a being incapable of making mistakes. It took all of Youmu's will to stand and fight, to not turn away or even to fall on her own blade to end her suffering.

"Well, if you're not going to show me then I guess I'll just have to take it from you."

Cirno retakes her guard. A new smell fills the air. Youmu begins to uncontrollably shake. This new sensation is horrifying. Each and every cell in her body has turned cold, something tiny and invisible to the naked eye feels like it's crawling all over her, muscles tense and ache. A thought occurs to her, "Oh, she is going to kill me now." Youmu can't move, and she's even forgotten to breathe.

Marching forward with a simple stride, the shield on Cirno's arm manages to keep perfectly steady and the head behind it gently bobs. Those eyes of her's glow dark, slowly draining the color from the rest of the world. Youmu can feel the pressure, not pushing down upon her but making her smaller. This adversary is impossibly large. The swordswoman is but an insect against this monster.

Invisible hands reach from underground, grasping at her hands and legs. Moving alone feels like she's wadding trough murky waters. Countless hours spent training, actions the body remembers even if her mind forgets, Youmu doesn't have a single coherent thought as she readies her blade. Even she doesn't know what she's doing at this point.

Cirno starts into a jog, perhaps after smelling Youmu's fear and weakness. Her heavy footsteps resound against the snow like drums. That impending figure barrels forward like a freight train. Cirno's now into a run.

Suddenly Youmu's image vanishes, leaving Cirno without a target. Immediately the tall woman crouches, further lowering herself under the protection of her shield. Just overhead something swooshes through the air. A moment later the upper portion of her shield flies away, cleanly sliced by some impossibly sharp object. Digging one foot into the snow, Cirno lands the other on her heel and pivots, turning at such a high speed her hair flies like a whip. A glimmer of light races across the top-right corner of her shield, once again cleaving away a good portion. Following through with her momentum, Cirno slides as she backs away from her opponent.

In front of her is an adversary that wasn't there before. Not the scared half-human girl who could barely hold her ground, but some kind of sentinel devoid of a soul. Youmu's body moved on pure instinct. In her stare reflects nothing, her posture was more like a broken doll, and her sword hung loose from her fingertips, yet she moved with incredible speed and swung with perfect form. That blade of her effortlessly cut through Cirno's ice. Certainly it wasn't as hard as steel, but the thick shield wasn't something so easily dispatched. This sudden development could have easily shocked a lesser foe, but Cirno recognizes what she sees when she sees it.

"A warrior's high," she says to herself. "Like the intense last flicker of a candle before it dies."

As it would do her no good and only slow her down, Cirno abandons the shield that had fully protected her thus far. Jagged, as if it'd been ripped from the talon of some ferocious monster, Cirno's sword is brought to the ready. However, the ancient world-slayer holds it in a very peculiar position. Instead of in her grip she hold's it in reversed position, and only with her index finger and thumb. It's like she's holding a stinky piece of trash she doesn't want to actually touch.

Regardless, the two charge at each other with weapons ready. Youmu is by far the quicker of the two as her image is nothing but a faint blur as she moves. With her opponent gone Cirno suddenly swings. With uncanny timing their two blades meet, and again Youmu's slices through the weapon made of ice. Except the cut isn't so clean. At the moment of impact, with timing so precise it should have been impossible, Cirno releases her sword. Youmu's skill was perfect, her katana infinitely sharp, but that was her folly. With a strike so perfect there lies a fatal weakness; that when you cut through another's weapon, your own sword is completely at the will of the attacked. However, the window of opportunity to exploit that weakness is of the smallest fractions of a second, an instant in which it would normally be impossible to catch. Unfortunately, Cirno is the very definition of impossible.

Just as Cirno releases her sword, Youmu's slash is suddenly being manipulated by the weapon she's currently cutting. After all, isn't it, at that moment, surrounded on all side? All Cirno has to do is gently push the handle, causing her own sword to rotate, and thus too does Youmu's katana twist in her grasp. After loosing a firm handling, her attack basically looses all power. Cirno's sword then tip's over, and Youmu's is pulled along with it. Free from her hand, the katana flies helplessly into the distance. All these actions happened so fast that Youmu hasn't recognized what's happened and is still performing her swing with empty hands. To her it appeared as if her sword suddenly vanished from her grasp.

Cirno was yet finished. With her weapon gone and her body still in full charge, she crashes her shoulder into the half-ghost's jaw. Of the two it's clear that the world slayer's the one with the greater mass. For all intensive purposes, Youmu was blind-sided, instantly knocked unconscious (though she might have been unconscious while in that trance) and the impact sends her several meters away. It wasn't flashy, but it was powerful. Her fight is over.

Youmu lands in the snow with a soft "puff," body limp and completely unresponsive. Cirno, emerging victorious, seems completely unharmed nor even short of breath. Without surrendering a moment of reflection she approaches the defeated to finish the job.

An arrow strikes halfway between her and the unconscious body. Halting in her tracks she stops just in time to be missed by the sharp laser that follows shortly thereafter. Turning her head she sees the interruption that made itself known.

Hovering in the sky, with her long white braid of hair dancing in the wind, is the Lunarian doctor with a bow in her hand. Leaping from behind is the green-clad, red-haired, martial arts youkai, undoubtedly heading for her fallen companion. Drawing in and stopping at the doctor's side is another of familiar form. It's another woman of white hair, dressed in blue, with eyes that reflect understanding.

The laser fired from the bow remains, restricting Cirno's movements. Although they're so close to one another, Youmu lies just beyond her reach. If she were to maneuver around the laser she could reach her beaten foe, but to do so would be needlessly complicated. Besides, there's no particular reason to finish a foe that's down when three more just popped right up.

Meiling touches down right beside Youmu. For a brief moment the Chinese youkai and the World Slayer lock eyes. For a moment Meiling completely forgets her purpose. Staring at Cirno made her feel like a mouse staring at a snake, hypnotized by those eyes and left completely defenseless. A jolt runs though her body and she shivers. Deep within the dark pit of her soul something screamed, immediately pulling her out of her daze. Was it the voice of herself, or maybe her late master or friend? Whatever it was it gave her enough sense to retreat with the injured and not be there when the laser ceases. Picking up Youmu she evacuates the unconscious half-phantom.

Cirno simply watches her leave.

As soon as the injured is out of harm's way, the projectiles come. Just before they arrive the laser finally dissolves. Moments before the magic makes contact with the ground and detonates, Cirno takes to the air. At the time the ancient felt it was a weak-willed attack, but as soon as she's airborn she realizes their game; suddenly she's surrounded on all sides by white familiars not too dissimilar from Youmu's phantom half.

From each familiar completely entombing her, they shoot in three different directions. Bullets cross, collide, and leave impossibly small areas where one could avoid. At least on the outside. Clearly was this a spell meant to entrap and contain. Easily could the ancient break free and reach the outside, but the purposefully safe area on the inside made the occupant want to stay. It's as much a mental jail as it is physical.

Smaller, less menacing, bullets now start to fire on the inside. By themselves they aren't much, but this spell's specialty was making one feel trapped and eventually overwhelming them. Having to avoid in every direction and always checking your blind spots is enough to get the better of anyone after a certain period of time. Cirno wasn't particularly quick in the first place, so the delicacy needed to avoid harm wasn't too difficult for her, but avoiding all this was quickly getting annoying. It was fine time to put an end to it.

Much to her preference Cirno enjoyed fighting in melee battles, but from their formation it's clear the last they wanted was for her to get close. As she allowed them to set the pace it seems this is to be a ranged fight. So be it.

Cirno didn't need anything as elaborate as before. Using her generic, basic skills she hurls long, jagged icicles from her fingertip. Each one is about as large as her own body, and for each time she casts about six are fired and the same time. Not only that, but additional shards fire from her body in directions she's not even aiming. It might seem like a waste, but those excess shots find targets in those familiars which have her surrounded. Only so much damage they can take before they are dispelled by Cirno's might.

Gradually they fall, and in short order enough have vanished so that Cirno can attack directly. Eirin is somewhat surprised to see her spell dismantled so quickly and thoroughly, but she doesn't let that get the best of her. Avoiding the ridiculously large barrage that's coming her way, she prepares another spell.

"God Sign," Eirin yells, "Genealogy of the Sky Born!"

Wave after wave of magical blasts spew from her bow, but from the actual arrow she fires a laser is emitted. This is what Cirno saw before. These lasers fork and bend like branches from a tree, creating random shapes and effectively ensnaring a target. Many of Eirin's spells seem focused on preventing movement and giving the opponent as little space as possible. Cirno was getting even more annoyed.

"Future," that other intellectual is finally showing action, "the Next History of Phantasm!"

Suddenly those familiars from before are back, this time without the moments it took for them to fly about and get into position. It was like turning back a page in a book, right in the middle of a scene with no prior setup. The previous pattern is still fresh in her memory and it replays exactly. However, now she had to contend with this again while maneuvering in the little space allowed her by the lasers. This was a jail cell within a jail cell.

Enough was enough. This time Cirno wouldn't bother approaching so mildly. Throwing her arms out into the air, from a observer's point of view it would appear that nothing was happening, but in truth she was expelling heat. All of it.

Since they were doing it, Cirno thought she'd do it too, "Absolute Zero!"

Just as she proclaimed, everything froze. The familiars, the bullets, even the concentration of light that made the lasers, all of them froze in place at her command.

"Move! Move! Move!" the Eirin-Keine pair hear from Marisa over the radios.

Knowing better than to question such a distressed order, they rapidly pull away.

Normally when Cirno used this spell's counterpart, "Perfect Freeze," the magic would thaw and slip around wildly. However, a partial upgrade was made when battling Marisa in the Great Fairy War, whereas the frozen magic would actually shatter and detonate. Ancient Cirno's renamed version seems closer to the later, but with an additional twist.

Even though they had fled, Eirin and Keine continue to fire. However, at a certain point they attacks literally freeze mid-air. Unlike with Marisa the condition wasn't temporary, and without actually being able to see cold, they couldn't know it was still active. What the once defeated Black Magician expected was an explosion that would rock the immediate surroundings, but what will happen is completely different.

Once Cirno is certain that they have stopped attacking and cautiously observe, she approaches the nearest frozen piece of magic she can find. Making sure she's facing her attacker's direction, she pulls her arm back. In an exaggerated and overly-animated manner she throws a punch. As it connects cracks spread through all the frozen magic and shatter in an instant. What is hurled towards her opponents isn't broken and jagged shards. The ice had been pummeled so thoroughly it's been ground into dust. This full forces hits Keine and Eirin.

It takes them by surprise. The pair hadn't experienced an counter like this: having their own magic turned around and worked against them. Worse yet there was no way to avoid. If this were a distinct object with physical form they could simply be avoided, but this was an ultra-wide environmental shift. While it was already chilly over the battlefield (despite the ice and snow it was still mild Spring temperatures), but with that spell it's suddenly dropped below freezing. Suffering that radical a change, even if they are fully clothed, they are still unprepared. The chill numbs their bodies and greatly delays their reflexes.

Seeing that it was impossible for them to immediately react, Cirno raises both hands into the air. Soft snow packed on the ground underneath her is taken by a strong wind and lifted into the air. Swirling into the space above her hands the snow gathers in a surreal and beautiful dance. Compacting from the pressure of the ever-increasing weight, the snow turns to ice. As the ice grows it makes the boulders thrown from the twin orbs pale in comparison. Easily was this the size of a large mansion. If Remilia and Flandre were still around, they'd protest that what they faced in their final moments was even grander.

What would have been difficult to do in full health due to it's ridiculous size, is impossible with the pair being paralyzed by cold. Frost had already formed in their hair and on their eyelashes. Satisfied with the size and the undeniable outcome which is to come, Cirno ceases gathering ice and throws the colossal glacier. Barely do the pair still have the composure to retain their magic for sustained float, let alone aerial maneuvering.

That gigantic column of ice doesn't seem to be approaching closer, only growing larger. The pair see the doom looming over them, but the intense cold have numbed not only their bodies, but their senses. As their bodies tremble from this intense frigid atmosphere they've lost the willpower to fight back, thus losing the will to live. They nearly welcome the death that approaches as long as they need no longer suffer through this negative hell.

A figure flashes before them moments before impact. The light from the late afternoon sun reflects off the surface of ice and blinds them to the one standing between them and the glacial column. Suddenly the ice stops and a crash thunders through the air as if two massive forces just made impact. The tremendous rumbling doesn't cease and the ice shifts like earth in a quake. Mini-geysers erupt from underneath the frozen surface, spaying diamond dust as a volcano would magma. Ridges and canyons emerge as the ice shifts, and eventually break apart altogether. Suddenly the glacier has become a multitude of comets, rocketing into the distance with trails of water sparkling in their wake. That massive pillar has been essentially destroyed, all fragments missing their intended targets.

Before them soars a tall figure with long red hair, blazing in the reflection of the sun as if it were fire itself. Steam raises from her exposed arms and head, and billowing from her mouth as if a flame burn in her very core. They knew this person by name, but suddenly couldn't recognize her. It's as if this wasn't the Meiling they knew, but the personification of the dragon itself.

"Fall back," the martial artist youkai orders. "Rejoin the effort once you've recovered!"

It was true, as they were at the moment they were needless hindrances on a battlefield. Cirno had gotten them good in her last attack, and their only option, save death, was retreat and regroup. Taking her command the pair gradually head back towards the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

Cirno lets them leave. Just like with Youmu she allows the injured to escape without even the thought of pursuit. Let them come, let them challenge her, and if they survive, let them come at her again. She wasn't taking pity on them, only did she do what was absolutely necessary. Now what was necessary was to face the new opponent that soars before her. Seeing what matter of fight will now take place, Cirno gracefully lowers herself onto the ground, surrendering the air to those who choose it freely. With a slightly awkward glance Meiling does follow.

"Would you not prefer to fight with the ground beneath your feet?" the ancient asks of the youkai.

"That's mighty kind of you, but wouldn't that be putting yourself at a disadvantage?"

"No," there isn't a sliver of condensation in her tone, it's pure and honest like a student confident in her answer, "I'm never at a disadvantage. I will face any challenger in whatever field they desire. You, like that half-ghost swordswoman, prefer to fight on the ground where you can make use of your footwork, completely unlike all these caster-types who fire from afar. That punch with which you smashed my glacier would never have the opportunity to connect if this were an aerial ranged battle. If your victory is impossible no matter your efforts, why not let you compete in your strongest field?"

Absolute, brimming confidence. It didn't matter if Cirno believed it or not, more did it feel like an absolutely truth akin to the Earth rotating around the Sun. It was simply what it was and there was no changing that fact. Truth was that Meiling knew she couldn't win; especially solo. Yet the eagerness of fighting such an overpowering opponent aroused her. This wasn't like before with Youmu. Unlike with swordsmen who impose their superior skill on others, a barefisted martial artist strives to fight one stronger than one's self. Adrenaline and excitement pump through Meiling's veins, powering and steeling her body with all the intensity of a massive furnace. Rising to and meeting challenges was her purpose in life, and the more she was outmatched the stronger she would grow.

Meiling charges.


	29. Untapped Potential

Abandoned orders

"Retreat! Retreat! You stupid idiot retreat!" Marisa is shouting into the radio. "Don't fight Cirno on your own!"

Despite her desperate pleas she knows there isn't going to be a response. At her core Meiling wasn't particularly a battle-maniac, so this level of stupidity couldn't be blamed on only that. No, this is simply revenge. Meiling might have played mild-mannered while this campaign was being established, but within her was a hidden lust to strike back at the foe who took her friends, and likewise join them in the eternal realm of sleep. Her timing in saving Keine and Eirin was too perfect. The Chinese martial arts youkai had been waiting for the opportunity to take on Cirno by herself. In all likelihood she's destroyed her radio transmitter.

Backing away from the microphone, Marisa turns to the wolf youkai Momiji, whose keen sight can perfectly depict the battle despite the distance, "How does she look?"

Not turning away, "I want to say she's doing good, but Cirno is matching Meiling's pace. You wouldn't think it, but it looks like the big blue girl has been trained in melee combat as well. Right now she's on the defensive, but Meiling isn't picking up any ground at all."

Sighing in spite of herself, "Why am I not surprised. Cirno's lived for eons, apparently. I guess mastering martial arts was just a way to pass the time for her."

"I wouldn't call that 'martial arts,'" Momiji mysteriously says. "It's more like: brute force too strong for punches and kicks to effect."

Marisa didn't quite understand.

"It's kind of hard to say. It's almost like Cirno's wearing a full set of heavy armor. I've trained with my tinbe-rochin," Marisa glances at the sword and shield, "so I'm familiar with fighting armored opponents. Cirno's sluggish movements are exactly like them. Even now she's fighting like that. Her blocks are quick but her counters are slow. But even if she's on the defensive it doesn't look like she's backed into a corner."

"Cirno used a sword and shield before," Tewi jumped in on the conversation, "so does that mean she was fighting like you?"

"No," and now Patchouli adds her input, "that looked more like a tower shield, something used to protect a person's entire frame. If I were to say, she fights like a medieval knight; first and foremost protecting herself with heavy armor and then overpowering her opponent with a large strike. That sword she was using looked more suited being held with two hands instead of one."

"Heavy shield, two-handed sword, then where's her armor?"

"Maybe she's already wearing it," Marisa theorizes. "Cirno's body is made of ice, so if we consider how freakishly tall she's become, isn't it safe to assume that her body simply has that much ice? Outer layers of the stuff would be redundant, wouldn't it? Or maybe we could say that because she's in her armor her body's bigger."

"So she'll get bigger or smaller depending on how much of an emphasis she's putting on defense?"

"That's my guess."

Trying to refute, Patchouli questions, "Then why doesn't she get smaller while fighting Meiling? Wouldn't that be to her advantage?"

"Well, you may be right, but if you think about it the most obvious explanation is very simple: she doesn't need to. Look at the way she's been fighting. When outnumbered three-to-one she utilizes magic turrets so she's no longer alone. For Youmu she produces a sword and shield. For the teacher and doctor she neutralizes their magic and turns it into her own weapon. And now for Meiling she fights barehanded."

"She taking different strategies for each opponent she faces."

"You could say that, but you could also say she's matching the pace of her opponent. Like a game."

If that's true, all know the implication it means. Cirno is horribly strong, much more so than what she's previously displayed. It's like Cirno's playing a child in a game she's already mastered. She's using the absolute minimal amount of effort just so that the child can think she's actually doing good. The moment Cirno decides to take this seriously this can end in a flash.

"Then what do we do?" Tewi asks what everyone is thinking.

"We can't test the waters anymore," Marisa announces. "Screw our previous plan. We have to hit her with everything we have!"

Tewi looks around. What they have has become pathetically small. Reisen, Kanako, and Youmu are incapacitated and their return isn't possible. Eirin and Keine need time to recover. Alice and Suwako seem to be recovered, but the later is still with her companion god inside the mansion. Then there's Tewi, Momiji, and Koakuma, but those three aren't particularly strong and probably won't add much to the assault. Letty, Lily, and Nitori have abilities that coincide or are diminished by Cirno's own, and are in fact terrible match-ups to go against a user of ice. Of those that are at full potential there are only Patchouli and Marisa.

"I'm not sure that would do a whole lot of good."

Marisa sighs and pats the rabbit on the back, "All these prior matches have been so that we can gauge the abilities and weaknesses or our opponent, ze. Now that we have a better understanding it'll be harder for us to be taken by surprise. Besides, Patchouli and I are last at bat for a reason."

Taking a long look at the two, Tewi cynically says, "You're not just going to hit Cirno with a bunch of fire and sun magic, are you?"

Marisa's shoulders twitch upon hearing the obvious spoiler, "What? No! We're not _just_ going to use fire and sun magic! We have, uh, other things too! Right, ze?"

With a dull expression on her face, Patchouli shakes her head and sighs, "Is that the furthest you've thought ahead?"

"Of course not! We also have these!"

Pulling from her pocket, Marisa shows everybody a small brown pouch who's contents couldn't be known.

"What?" except by Patchouli. "When did you get those?"

Seeing as how the fellow magician immediately saw it as familiar, it was safe to assume that it was her's, stolen by the notorious thief and friend. That's what everybody's thinking.

"Wouldn't you say we need these things at a time like this? If we don't use them now when would we?"

Patchouli's in such a state of shock. One would imagine she'd just witnessed someone burn her favorite book. In all likelihood that may be what's happening. The pajama-wearing magician clearly doesn't want to use what's in the pouch, but neither does she protest. Clearly is this invaluable treasure worth the sacrifice it hopes to gain, but that still doesn't make parting any easier for the owner. In the end her head slumps down low and she turns away without saying a word.

"That settles that," Marisa tosses the pouch into the air before catching it and returning it to her pocket. "Now, the only thing that remains is timing. I don't think Meiling will be fond of us butting in, so lets let her have her fun for awhile, ze. Doggie," Momiji humphs, "how much longer do you think she can hold out?"

"She's doing surprisingly well. Much better than Youmu. I think Cirno isn't as accustomed to fighting barehanded as she is with weapons. If Cirno is going to play us at our own game, I think that Chinese youkai is a better match than the ghost."

"Excellent. The longer she can drag it out the better. We just need to get the timing right so she doesn't get herself killed."

Restrained no longer

Cirno blocks a high kick to the head, and tries to counter with a backhand. Ducking beneath Meiling aims for a swift series of short jabs to her abdomen, but the ancient's swift footwork easily draws her out of distance. With the two separated there is a brief pause, but neither utilize the time to take a breath. Both charge at each other again.

Starting this encounter with an axe kick, Meiling uses a daring first move. Because of the long skirt of her dress, Cirno almost looks like she's floating, but underneath the garb her feet are moving very precisely. Her rear and front foot are pointed in opposite directions, which make pivoting and high-speed-turns possible. The old and experienced woman easily twirls around the martial artist's kick and ends her maneuver right next to Meiling's side. Cirno reaches for her opponent's shirt collar, but Meiling knocks that hand with a bent wrist. Putting all her weight to that side and strengthening her reverse leg, she drives forward with her shoulder. By reflex Cirno steps back, but she can't completely avoid the charge. Executing the first move that has actually hit the ancient world slayer, Meiling performs a textbook shoulder charge.

Force form the impact slightly lifts Cirno's body off the ground, but for the most part she's only pushed back. Skidding on the icy surface the very tall woman manages to keep her balance, gradually coming to a stop as her momentum expires. There's a wide grin on her face, and for the most part she seems completely fine. If there was any actual damage to be taken, it wasn't easily seen.

"My my," she says, "I haven't experienced moves like yours before."

"My arts are 4000 years old. Maybe you should have gotten out more often."

Cirno gives a slight chuckle, "I guess I may have overlooked some things. 4000 years ago the most interesting things were happening involving the people of the Maya, so please excuse me if I missed something that happened on the other side of the world. Still, it's been a very long time since I've had this much fun fighting someone."

They might have been exchanging words in a friendly manner, but both kept up their guards and eyes locked. It was only because of the distance separating them that they even dared to speak a word. Even now they continue to speak, but that can immediately change with a single step.

"I must say, Hong Meiling, you were a very interesting individual."

Meiling heard about this, but while she had the opportunity to speak she might as well ask, "How do you know me?"

"Oh, I observed everything 'Little Cirno' did. It was kind of hard not to, I must say. Everything to her was new and interesting, so that in and of itself was worthy of my attention. Though as she was the vessel of my resurrection I can't really say I was given any other choice."

"And how was I interesting?"

"I lots of ways, I must say. The fact that you use 'Martial Arts' is very fascinating. Imagine, a greater-being using a human art."

"Greater being?"

"I use the term broadly, kind of like how many in this place use the word 'youkai' to describe many of the races of demons, spirits, and monsters. I guess it would be difficult to try and remember everybody's exact species, especially in such a place as Gensokyo."

"So you think you know just about everything."

"I know a lot, or maybe I should say I know the _most_. It's impossible to know everything, so I guess being the most informed creature at the moment would have to suffice."

"You didn't know about my fighting style."

"No, but I know about _you_."

Upon hearing this her guard slightly falters, "How could you possibly know about me?"

Cirno completely lowers her guard, inviting attack, but Meiling doesn't pounce, "Well, for starters, you must have fought the Ice Fairy more than anyone else, so wouldn't it be obvious that I know more about you than anyone else? Also, even though you deny your nature, you still haven't abandoned your racial traits."

Meiling says nothing.

"I don't know what's more curious; why you hide it or why nobody else has figured it out? Think about it, most of your time you spend guarding your home, you often fall asleep, and whenever somebody wakes you up you bite. You're extremely possessive, even if you don't show it, and you value your 'treasures' more than anything else. Normally your kind is attracted to silver and gold, anything of great value that shines, but in your case it's people. You gather them together and horde them inside your dwelling. Tell me, is it Remilia who possesses you, or you who possesses Remilia?"

A mountain of snow erupts behind Meiling, and her image is lost in a blur. An instantly later she's before Cirno, throwing an impossibly heavy punch. Yet Cirno catches it with no greater effort than as if someone passed her a ball. The youkai is pushing forward with all her might, but Cirno's arm barely budges.

"Don't you dare say her name!"

"Some of your true nature finally shows. Let me tell you a secret, the Ice Fairy really admired you. I think that it was because on a subconscious level, she knew that both of you were the same. Both you and her were creatures of great power barely scratching the surface of your potential."

"What do you know?" Meiling yells.

The strength emitted finally manages to push back Cirno, but before she goes too far the ancient digs her feet into the ground and firms herself still.

"I already told you, 'I know the most.' I know how you practice martial arts not to make yourself stronger, but so that you can control yourself. As you well know, it's your rage that makes you powerful, but without control that destruction becomes indiscriminate. I must say that you had admirable goals, but you stopped half way. You haven't mastered your rage, you've only confined it."

"Shut up!"

More power surges through her arms, and she manages to push so hard Cirno is lifted off her feet. Realizing she's lost that match, the ancient pushes herself away and into the air, flipping at least once before landing back on the ground some distance away. While it might be the perfect time, Meiling does not pursue. Instead she takes a deep breath to calm herself.

"There we go," Cirno continues to speak, "that was a brief spark of what you're capable. If you could just find the proper balance you might be able to take me on equal footing."

Finishing her breathing technique, Meiling rediscovers her center. She takes her fighting stance once again and charges. Her moves are quicker than before. With each step she propels herself faster. Rainbow-colored shards of energy splash out of her where her feet come in contact with the snow. With this force propelling her movements the kick she's performing soars through the sky as if propelled by a rocket. Unfortunately it's met with Cirno's unenthusiastic block, the force of the blow traveling onward and creating a soft explosion of snow behind her.

"This I've seen," Cirno's tone is dull.

Grabbing the youkai's leg Cirno throws her like she were a doll, exerting no great effort from herself. Meiling is hurled to the rear with tremendous force. Traveling well beyond the confines of Misty Lake, the martial artist is lost into the nearby forest where she crashes into and through a couple of trees. Otherwise lost from sight, a few of those trees can be seen bending in unnatural positions and even being uprooted. After the crash of one of them falling to the ground there is nothing but silence.

After waiting a few seconds, "It should be enough to rely on your natural abilities! Without utilizing the talents you were born with, strengthening your body with prana is meaningless!"

Some bright force is born within the forest, casting dark shadows from the outlining trees. Any normal person would have difficulty looking directly at such a thing, but Cirno does so with regard to how it might damage her retinas. In an illusion similar to a rainbow, all the colors of the spectrum can be seen being pulled inside the light. After a few seconds it's fired, effortlessly trampling the trees in it's path, causing them to explode in a hail of timber. Cirno merely watches it approach.

"This could be a problem," she mumbles to herself.

Stomping on the ground no greater than if she were trying to garner somebody's attention, columns of ice suddenly sprout from the ground, dozens of them to try and hinder the oncoming boulder of energy. These shields shatter effortlessly in the face of this spell, but the sheer number of them prove to be a hindrance. With each one that is shattered, the miniature star loses some of it's brilliance. Ultimately it doesn't prove enough to break Cirno's final pillar.

Suddenly the final pillar is shatter as the ball of energy dies. Meiling is leading forward with her shoulder, crashing though the barrier and taking a bit of damage herself. Much of her clothes get torn and some of the shards cut into her skin and draw a little blood, but for the most part it's negligible. Even Cirno is surprised by this.

Right before Meiling would have hit again with her shoulder, she shifts her body and strikes with her palm, landing directly on Cirno's midsection. Not only is she hit, but something is placed inside her. Suddenly her stomach starts to glow, and that same rainbow light from before is now starting to gather at the point of contact. That same star from before is now being born in her stomach.

It explodes with a furious intensity. Meiling, who slid to a halt behind the ancient one, doesn't even turn as her destruction is wrought behind her. The blast is great and her long red hair is blown over her head. It doesn't last very long and the environment quickly returns to how it once was, though the eruption echoes in the distance.

Even Cirno couldn't have suffered that unscathed. Meiling turns and-

By the back of her head a hand grasps her and throws her to the ground. The snow can only do so much and her body sinks until it hits the hard ice below. Before she can realize what's what, Meiling only briefly sees the ancient in blue. A tightened fist crushes into her ribcage, just above her solar plexus, expelling all the air in her lungs and immediately making her gasp for air. The ice underneath her cracks from the mighty blow, and those fissures spread throughout the frozen surface of Misty Lake. A deep rumble is heard as this happens.

Somehow still conscious, Meiling chokes as she desperately struggles for air. Cirno grabs her by the neck and lifts her in the air. Meiling is fairly tall for a woman, but ever her tiptoes can't reach the ground when they're at eye level. Even if she was well enough moments ago, after taking that punch all the strength has drained from her body. The pain is intolerable and her chest feels so heavy it's like it'll crush her organs. None of her will move the way she wants to, the way she knows she must if she wants to survive this encounter. Darkness creeps in the corners of her vision, and that light-headiness doesn't feel as if it will merely claim her consciousness, but her life. Everything's gone so cold and what's immediately in front of her feels so far away. Meiling wanted to at least make an offering to the lives of Remilia and Flandre, taking at least a chuck of the ancient with her, but after receiving only one punch she abandons the idea, sincerely apologizing to the ones she will shortly meet.

"You want to hear what I did with them?" Cirno whispers into her ear. To Meiling the voice sounds faint and slightly muddled, but she recognizes the words nonetheless. "First I blew a hole in Remilia's chest," something bursts from within, filling Meiling with a burning sensation. "But that didn't seem to be enough, so I ripped out her heart." This isn't an account of what actually happened. "Then I turned to Flandre," something thunders in her body, "that strength of her's was annoying, so I ripped off her arms." The furthermost extremities twitch as if reanimated with life. "That cackle she had was disgusting, so I took off her head." Her lungs fill with flames. "Even than she didn't seem dead, so I crushed her skull in my hands." A growl is produced from deep within her.

Springing to life, that once pale, once dead hand grabs Cirno by the arm. A grin creeps across the ancient's lips. A dull "crack" can be heard, and soon it can be seen growing from underneath Meiling's grip. Satisfied with the outcome, Cirno releases her hold on Meiling's neck and throws her a few meters back. With a power that wasn't before there, the martial artist lands on her feet but bent over. It's like she's staring at the ground.

"This is what you're capable of."

Rapidly the youkai breathes as if she's some kind of beast. At first it struggles as if in desperation, but given time her breathing turns aggressive. Pulling strength from some unknown, hidden place, color returns to her skin and steam rises from the generated heat. Something about her is changing. While mostly she remains the same, there's something animalistic, sinister taking hold. Her fingers no longer look like finger, but claws. Her skin appears more rubbery, like scales. That long, flowing red hair is now like a mane. Her spine seems to get larger and can be seen through her clothes. But most obviously, her muscles are expanding.

Meiling roars. The soft outer layer of snow burst into the air, trees shake, and mountains avalanche in snow. Nearby, everybody at the Scarlet Devil Mansion cover their ears. Amidst this, Cirno watches and smiles, brows challenging as if she wants what's happening to Hong Meiling.

A backhand catches Cirno just below the jaw, a blow so powerful she's rocketing dozens of meters in the air. Underneath the attacker crouches down low then leaps into the air. Her image is lost in an instant, the ground cracking and breaking as she leaves. Before anyone can count she's above the already ascending Cirno. A sidewise kick launches the ancient into the distance, to the far shores of Misty Lake. After landing the hit, Meiling takes a moment to align herself, then jets into pursuit.

Cirno is laughing through a pained expression, surely not expecting that outburst yet not unsatisfied. Craning up her neck she sees the monster heading her way. Undoubtedly it was Meiling, but everything about her as undergone a transformation. Only slight physical alterations were observed, but it was everything else that's different. She's no longer the good-natured, mild-mannered, laid-back guardian, but a rampaging beast thirsty for blood. All restraints of self-control were shattered once Ancient Cirno started speaking graphically of an alteration of the Scarlet Sister's demise. None of her old friends might be able to recognize her now.

Allowing herself to fall to the ground, Cirno does a back flip and lands on her feet. Digging her hands into the snow, she drags herself to a stop. Only a moment later does Meiling arrive. Moving with utmost haste Cirno snaps her arms into the air and halt the rampaging youkai. Their hands are locked in one another. In this position it has become a clear struggle of power.

Rising from her knee, Cirno manages to push that bestial force and take a stand. The two are now locked eye-to-eye.

Those jewel-like teal eyes of Meiling have turned red. In her stare they no longer reflect intelligence, only primal instincts motivated by rage. Cirno's previous goading was to push the youkai to the level she knew possible. Hong Meiling was a good-natured personality that denied her ill-natured instinct. Now here lies a beast betraying all past relationships.

Meiling pushes with all her might, snarling as she does, but Cirno doesn't budge. Likewise, Cirno doesn't seem worse for wear after the assault she just endured. Faint cracks are noticeable on her arm where she was grabbed, but otherwise she's fine. Underneath Meiling's feet the snow and ice are gradually melting. Also, from where her's and Cirno's hands touch, smoke is calmly rising. This might not be good.

Realizing that trying to overpower the ancient is a futile effort, Meiling opens her mouth wide. From deep within her throat something lightens her mouth a bright orange.

"No you don't," Cirno huffs when she realizes what's going to happen.

Leaping over the mad woman, Cirno lands behind her back and throws Meiling. It's nothing extravagant, but it broke the previous stalemate. The youkai tumbles across the snow, but she picks up to her feet well enough. The ancient expected Meiling to immediately charge right back at her, but instead she stumbles. As if she'd just taken a bite of a very spicy pepper, the youkai coughs with black smoke pouring out of her mouth. Whatever she was going to try just backfired within her.

"I guess that's the best I could expect from her doing this for the first time," Cirno says while she's got a moment a calm.

As if the beast could recognize that she was being insulted, Meiling charges at her adversary in a mad dash. Her speed is no less diminished as she reaching her target in no time flat. A backhand collides with the side of her skull.

Caught by an unexpected blow, the mad beast is hurled to the side. Unprepared, the last blow left her spinning. Trying to reach her feet, she stumbles once then gets it right. After taking a moment to shake out the cobwebs, she charges again.

No different a result awaits her. With impeccable timing Cirno hits her again, at the very moment before she herself would have been struck. Again Meiling makes it to her feet, but this time slower than the last. With herself in her rampage, the martial artist can't make use of her Qi, so the only weapons at her disposal are used at close range. Had she been able to use her previous power along with her new-found strength, this battle would definitely be turning out differently, but after embracing this aspect of herself this first time, of course it couldn't be expected that she'd be able to fully utilize this rage.

At this point it's just a fruitless struggle. Meiling would charge, get hit, struggle to take a stand, and do it all over again. If her strategy was to make Cirno get tired of hitting her, then her face would turn to mush long before that happens. This beast is wounded and beaten, only remaining on it's feet because of stubbornness. Until the last bit of steam runs thought Meiling's engines, she will only push forward.


	30. The End of a Journey

The place where those who endure

"She's finally starting to take this a little seriously," the jailor tells her inmate.

The silver-haired maid watches closely. Still are they within the field of sunflowers, but the boundary walls are breaking. At first there were only cracks in the sky, but as Cirno's battle continued more damage was being done. Now these cracks have ventured as far as the ground, and through them those inside can peer out, spying what can be seen from where this dimension was created; the Scarlet Devil Mansion's front door. It wasn't the best view possible, but they could generally see what was happening.

"How much longer do I have to stand this?" Sakuya yells in clear frustration.

"I think you can trust that Chinese youkai. She's tougher than she looks, and she already looks pretty frightful. And if you really wish, I think the barrier's currently weak enough for you to break through by force, but let me give you fare warning; at most your ability could work only once, and I wouldn't even bet on that. Without your ability to stop time you'll only be a hindrance in the fight against Cirno. If you only have one opportunity to make use of yourself, we must make absolutely sure we use you at the absolute right moment."

"And when is that?"

The flower youkai, Yuuka Kazami, shrugs her shoulders, "I dunno, but it sure isn't now. Remember, the fate of the world is at stake. If this ends up costing you your life, you don't want it to be a meaningless sacrifice, do you?"

It was as if those words were ripped right out of Sakuya's own mouth. On the morning of Daiyousei's and Cirno's escape, a very similar question was asked of her by her mistress. She told Remilia that if her master was to fall, she would join her, but she wouldn't waste her life meaninglessly. She would devote her entire self to furthering the legacy of the Scarlet's memory, but what exactly does that mean? Well, at this moment it seems quite clear; Sakuya would sacrifice herself to stop Cirno. However, at this moment it seems impossible. Yuuka was right in that the time manipulator needs to wait for the perfect opportunity to present itself.

Frustrated with waiting but knowing it's what she must do, Sakuya takes it out on Yuuka, "And what about you? Are you just going to sit around and do nothing? Do you not care if the world ends?"

As she too seems slightly bored with sitting around and doing nothing, Yuuka was leaning against a nearby fencepost. She's even yawned a few times.

"She probably still holds a grudge about the last time I killed her. If I went out there, Cirno would go all-out from the very start. If that happened, Gensokyo would likely be destroyed as collateral damage. As long as she's in a good mood and playing at our pace, we should let her do so. We have to gamble on the possibility that she underestimates us and it becomes a fatal mistake. I told you what happened the last time we fought, and even from here I can tell she wasn't bluffing when she said she was only at a fraction of her full power. Last time I scrapped by with a victory, but that won't happen again. Just like you, I have to wait for the last possible moment. Unfortunately we have to rely on others to make that scenario possible."

Pushing herself away from the fence, she joins next to Sakuya and the crack spying on the outside world, "If anything, it's Cirno's biggest weakness; something she's lost long ago. Faith. We have to have faith in our friends and companions to help make the impossible possible. While we're nothing like trump cards, we both can be highly effective in the right environment. We just have to wait for that to happen."

The Main Event

Having completely spent the last reservoirs of her energy, Meiling crimson eyes return to teal, roll to the back of her head, and she falls face-first into the snow. Pushed to this extreme, she might not have passed-out and instead died. Until a medical professional could give an examination nothing's certain.

Across from the fallen body of Hong Meiling stands Cirno. At a point techniques, strategies, and skill all crumbled under the desperation of brute force. Their fight had turned into a fistfight. Once all the preconceptions of honor and fair-play dissolved, the two exchanged blows like a pair of drunken riffraff. While their fight had digressed this much, this proved a more suitable venue with Meiling's new found power. Unlike before, the martial artist found ground when challenging the ancient head-on. Blows were exchanged on both sides, and this was perhaps the fairest way to settle their duel. Unfortunately it was Cirno who still proved to be completely overwhelming. It was a sad reality.

Meiling is down, but is she completely out? To make sure, Cirno paces to the youkai's side.

Crashing at high speed, a massive snake dashes in from some hidden corner, trampling the earth underfoot and swallowing Cirno. Or at least trying. This snake of pure white scales and glowing red eyes has a mouth that can easily swallow a man whole. Although the ancient is of imposing stature, even she could fit in it's bite and be swallowed. However, at the last possible moment Cirno responded to this surprise attack and now holds the snake's mouth open with merely her hands and feet. If she loses this struggle of power she'll undoubtedly be digested.

Despite this she laughs, "It's about time! Enough I've had of these warmups!"

Standing solitary on the frozen surface of Misty Lake is the small goddess with whom Cirno shared a bit of her past. Suwako Moriya holds both her hands in front of her, almost in prayer. There's no question that she's the one in control of this giant snake.

Unable the swallow the world slayer in one bite, the snake known as the Mishaguji swings it's head around in the air in an attempt to force it's prey to loose it's grip and fall into it's stomach. At such a height and speeds any normal meal would surely have fallen victim by now, but this ancient woman sees no danger from this situation.

"It's been a long time since I faced a foe this large!" Cirno announces.

Cirno manages to push herself outside the Mishaguji's mouth, then by her own power slams it's shut and uses her own body to keep it closed. She's clamped down it's mouth by giving it a hug. Even more wildly than before the snake swings around it's head, but this time to throw off it's foe. All the while the ancient laughs like it's the most amusing thing.

The Mishaguji's entire body is shaken when Cirno slams her knee into the underside of the giant reptilian jaw. At that moment it's wild swinging stops.

Adjusting herself so she's at the tip of it's mouth, Cirno does something otherwise impossible. Without any ground whatsoever to brace herself, she begins to lift the giant snake into the air. Using her arms like she's trying to hurl a giant boulder wider than herself over her head, she pulls the Mishaguji all the way into the air, even to the far tip of it's tail. With neither of them on the ground they begin to fall. However, Cirno uses this momentum and places herself under it's jaw. Then, as if she's executing a judo throw, she pulls the snake down over her shoulder. The snake crashes back down into the earth with an impact that couldn't be ignored. From a distance everything looked in slow motion, but with the size and scale of that beast it was undoubtedly moving at a very high speed. After all of the battle fought on Misty Lake thus far, only this was powerful enough to break through the frozen surface of the lake. After the ice is broken water erupts from both sides of the snake's body like impossibly long geysers. From that impact the Mishaguji is motionless.

Cirno herself doesn't seem to have too soft a landing as the ground cracks and snow shoots up in a dust as she hits earth. She planted both feet when she dropped onto the ice, but her momentum and weight pulled her down to a knee. A moment she takes to recenter herself, and when she does she rises her head and faces the Suwa god.

Suwako hasn't moved, as if her failed attack didn't matter much. She still holds her hands in prayer. Actually, looking further back, it's clear why she continues this way. Three of those Mishaguji still remain, none any smaller than the first. After making eye contact with the ancient, Suwako nods. At her cue the remaining snakes make for their prey.

Giving a single chuckle, Cirno stands tall then makes a gesture similar to her foe's, both hands interlocked before her. Further back three separate eruptions take place on the surface of the lake. Chunks of ice, snow, and mist are propelled, and from within those detonations three massive creatures are formed. They race to intercept the three snakes, proving to be the far quicker of monstrosities. Faster than a bullet they each catch one of the remaining Mishaguji just below the segment that makes their heads, screaming from the damage they've taken. Cirno's conjurations are clearly visible for a moment. These are the very same ice dragons that caught Suwako before, this time abandoning nonlethal measures. After capturing the snake the dragons wrestle them to the ground, where they continue to struggle.

Cirno calls out to her adversary, "Don't tell me this is the best-"

No sooner does she stop herself does fire literally rain from the sky. A fourth eruption takes place nearby and another dragon is born. This time instead of heading off an attacker, the ice creature coils itself around it's master, creating a thick barrier that will completely protect Cirno from the falling flames. The thick icy shell proves more than enough of a shield, and for the most part the fire has little effect. However, what comes next is a different story.

From underneath the creature Cirno can hear, "Master Spark!"

A massive laser strikes the dragon from above. This isn't taken as easily as the flames. Which each moment that passes the laser digs into the icy flesh and melts it into formless water, or evaporates it completely. Still, it's hide is thick and proves more than one spell alone can handle. Once the spell finishes a sliver of the dragon remain. However, it's worth had been spent and it crumbles away into snow. Underneath Cirno stands cross-armed, as if observing and judging the new entrants. For the most part she's pleased.

High above, both riding on the same broom, are Marisa Kirisame and Patchouli Knowledge. Add to that Suwako Moriya, and this must be the resistance's strongest conceived fighting team. There doesn't seem to be much of a theme behind this group; it seems to be an all-out offensive with sheer firepower as it's objective. These particular three don't necessarily compliment each other, but than again great teamwork is only necessary when battling against another team. Ganging up on one person as they are makes little need for such conventions. Still, their's is a mighty foe.

Cirno slams her hand on the ground, and now a fifth eruption occurs, this time at her very location. For a moment the grand ancient is lost in the haze, but like all the times before a dragon is born. This creature soars with great speed, and the bulky, slow, world slayer is riding it like a mount, thus making up for her one and only identified weakness.

Marisa and Patchouli see what's coming and immediately does an about-face. While one passenger on the magician's broom proved for speedy travels, two shouldn't do much to hinder it's speed (Patchy couldn't weigh more than 35 kilos), but such maneuverability from Cirno hadn't been anticipated.

Suddenly the dragon's speed drops tremendously. Looking down Cirno sees six identical dolls, each producing a small laser, circling around the base of the dragon. Cutting it off from the surface of the lake, the dragon essentially dies. Since the beast already had momentum it still flies, but the speed it once produced is now impossible. Cirno's riding a sinking ship.

Alice Margatroid, just as Suwako Moriya, came to the magician pair just before they headed out to face the ancient foe. Suwako had been uninjured, but Alice didn't particularly put herself at risk or expend herself when she first faced Cirno. After all, the puppeteer was merely a scout during that first confrontation, so why deplete her firepower if her role was only so much? Now she's loaded for bear.

Catching herself so she doesn't share the same fate as her creation, Cirno holds herself in a hover. Her opponents keep coming out of the woodwork to face her. This greatly resembles when she was defeated 1500 years ago, however the combatants are what sets this apart. Last time her enemies threw themselves at her, losing their lives one after another in a merciless offensive that cared only for results and none for casualties. In the end of that war there was only one survivor. This time, however, everyone is still giving their all, but all of them care about the other and they probably see a single fatality as unacceptable. This was to Cirno's liking, but that didn't necessarily mean they are any closer to overpowering the ancient as those gods and youkai were long ago. In the end the former might have taken a victory, but she is much stronger now.

Twin iron rings fly at her from the sides. Suwako's snakes might be out of commission, but the goddess herself isn't. To count her out would be a fatal mistake, though Cirno hasn't considered anything she's done thus far to be one. With barely even regarding them she catches the twin rings. Sparks fly from her grips as the same thing repeats itself from the time before. Barely is the ancient even affected. That is to say, until her body recoils from pain and she's forced to toss away the one in her left hand. Everyone notices this. While she might have the one in her right hand under control, Cirno stares at her left as if something is wrong. The cracks she received from her battle with Meiling are still there, but now they are thicker. She's taxing herself by stressing that hand.

"She's injured!" Marisa announces. "It's her left hand! Focus on her left hand!"

Patchouli, who's sitting right behind her, softly punches her shoulder (although for the librarian, she might have put all her strength into it), "How are we supposed to target only her left hand?"

Cirno snorts. Metaphorically, they've drawn blood. To the ancient that's lived for unknown millennial, it is but a trifle injury. However, at the same time it proves that she isn't infallible and can be destroyed. While she might not have been certain if this were or were not true, at the very least it hasn't happened before. At least not completely. The last time Cirno was beaten she sacrificed her shell so that she may rise again. It's very possible that this could turn out the same. Well, if the warriors of Gensokyo can manage to buy this world another 1000 years, then that's good enough for them.

Having retrieved her iron ring, Suwako now looms over Cirno swinging down her weapon. Despite being distracted, Cirno offers no struggle returning the favor, attacking with the ring still in her right hand. The two collide. However, an unforeseen outcome occurs. Stolen from it's creator, the iron ring held by Cirno dissolves into sand the moment it hits the one controlled by the Suwa goddess. It appears these weapons can't be used against it's owner like the onbashira could for Kanako. This was a rather unpleasant surprise to suffer.

Cirno takes a full unprotected blow. Suwako's ring tears through the ancient, cutting from the ancient's left shoulder, across her chest, to the just below her left underarm. Perhaps harder than steel, the woman's skin proves tough enough that she doesn't get sliced in half, but the ring does tear into her flesh and rips apart her dress. No blood is produced, but a similar, much deeper, crack has appeared across her chest same as her arm. The white bow covering her heart was missed by a fraction of a centimeter, but a good portion of her right breast is now laid bare. It wasn't completely indecent, but she would be shunned if she walked about town in this manner.

Suwako was only the first. Before Cirno can completely recover, four dolls make their way behind her without notice. Each fires a small laser like they did with the ice dragon.

Grunting from the pain, Cirno quickly turns and swipes at those mosquitoes, but those four scatter at the first sight of movement and escape safely. There doesn't seem to be much damage, nowhere near what was done by the goddess, but it surely did annoy the world slayer. Also, now there's a giant hole in the back of her dress. This was getting dangerous in more ways than one.

Only for a moment does Cirno hear the broom soaring behind her before a large mass of fire detonates on her back, courtesy of the Magician Patchouli Knowledge. This explosion is grand, creating a flare two dozen meters in diameter. Cirno is lost in the flames until her body is propelled directly into the ground. Breaking through the ice she's hurled into the depths of Misty Lake. The near-freezing water expunged from the blow back causes a rain that lasts several seconds. Thankfully the warriors are too far away to get drenched. None of them thought this was the end, but it sure was a good start.

For a time, there is silence. Suwako and Alice regroup with the pair on the broom.

"How much damage do you think we've done?" Alice asks.

Marisa responds, "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure we've pissed her off now. Things are likely to get a lot hairier, ze. At least the lasers, fire, and physical attacks seem like they're doing something."

"As Cirno's made from ice," Patchouli observes, "you'd expect fire to be her weakness, but I don't think it's hot enough. It's like-"

Something now stands in the middle of their group. From the hole in the ice created moments ago, only now does water gush forth. Reaching nearly three times higher than before, when the ancient was knocked in there from an explosion, it's now high enough to even soak the four combatants. Marisa and Patchouli are the only two who can see this intruder before she strikes.

Alice and Suwako are knocked to the ground greatly below them, moving so quickly the two observers only catch a blur. While the intruder could use this moment to handle the two on the broom as well, after dispatching half of the party she stops. Before Marisa and Patchouli is none other than Cirno, but this is a completely different Cirno from only a few moments before.

That dress of her's now only seems to be kept together by a few meager threads. Much of her body is exposed. What they can see are finely developed muscles, ash marks from where she was burned, and additional cracks that seemed like a spider crawling from her back. Warrior was what Youmu considered her before, and certainly was she right. Yet the ancient still held a firm femininity that makes her ravishingly beautiful to both sexes. The human and youkai magicians are frozen in awe as much as fear.

No longer are six long, pointed icicles hovering over her back as wings. Merging and turning into one, now she's held in flight by some conjuration that nearly resembles a completely separate organism. Clutching to her back, with wings of it's own that span ten meters in both directions, is what appears to be a western-style dragon made of ice. It's small claws clutch to each shoulder and on both sides of her waist. However, some other appendage as curled itself around her left, injured arm. At it's end are claws, but it almost looks more like a cast. A tail sprouts from it's rear-end and almost looks like Cirno's own. This creature doesn't seem to have a head, but some outgrowth covers it's master's neck and creeps up to her cheeks. If they were before wondering if she could wear a suit of armor without adjusting her own size, it was now proven true.

A pillar of fire suddenly burst between the three, knocking the magicians out of their haze and allowing them enough time for coherent thought. They immediately turn tail and put some distance with the ancient. Cirno doesn't pursue but instead turns to this latest addition.

By whom was this new interruption?

The End of Her Journey

"Cirno!" screams a person.

This person charges at the world slayer, causing a stir of great concern from the two magicians. This person doesn't heed their warnings and continues, or maybe this person didn't even notice them in the first place. This person hits Cirno with a tackle, but of course the tall woman doesn't even budge. However, this person isn't dismayed and continues to clutch on tightly. Surprisingly, Cirno doesn't make a single hostile action through all this. She allows it to happen.

"Cirno!" screams the person again, voice cracking from the sobs and tears they are desperately fighting.

Cirno with her free, not encased in ice, right hand, she wraps it gently around the back of this person's head. "Daiyousei," she calls her.

It's Daiyousei. As if they were painted by a brilliant artist, the pair match each other perfectly. Daiyousei, dressed in a white robe with her freely flowing hair; Cirno, armored in her own ice, and with a claw on her left hand; while the pair hold each other in embrace, no greater scene could be imagined. Perhaps it could be titled, "The Warrior and the Maiden."

Looking down at her crying friend, she then turns to the origin of the pillar of flame, the immortal Fujiwara no Mokou. As it wasn't intentionally hostile and used to gain the ancient's attention, Cirno isn't going to retaliate. She returns her glare to the one hugging her tightly, once again regarding the fairy.

"You've gotten so big," Daiyousei says through her tears. "You've gotten so big, but I knew it was you when I first saw you. I didn't think otherwise for even a moment!"

This development was certainly unexpected, and Marisa and Patchouli generally have no idea what to make of it. Still, they know better than to interrupt this moment. If there is one person that could stop Cirno, one way or the other, perhaps it is her best friend the fairy Daiyousei.

"I don't care how much you've changed," the fairy confesses. "I don't care if everybody is frightened of you, or if everybody hates you now. It can be just the two of us. Let's just go home and put everything behind us."

Patchouli is about to shout, but Marisa stops her. The world can't be risked just for the sake of revenge. If the Ice Age can be averted by not avenging Remilia and Flandre, then that's the sacrifice that has to be made. It might be a hallow, empty result, but it's the best conceivable one.

"Just the two of us?" Cirno asks.

"Yes!" Daiyousei pulls her face away from the taller's stomach and looks her in the eyes. "It can be just us two! If we can't go home we can go somewhere far away. Away from Gensokyo if we have to. I just want to be with you!"

"What makes you think you have the right to stand next to me?"

A nervous jerk shakes the fairy's whole body. Her eyes moisten for a whole new set of tears, but she fights them back. Her mouth's agape as if to speak, but she is too confused and has no strength for words.

"On average, just how long do fairies live?" ask the ancient Cirno. "10, 30, 50, 100 years? You're a superb specimen, so you'll likely last longer than most, but your time left remaining on this Earth will be so pathetically short that I will hardly remember you."

"Cirno?" her words are weak and hurt.

"I have lived for eons, longer than anyone else. I've seen worlds rise and crumble, civilization's prosperity and demise, races first crawl onto the surface of the ground, then fall into extinction. How long would just a fairy stand at my side? I could break you with merely my breath, and you think you deserve my companionship? Tell me, how do you expect to comfort me?"

"Cirno, what are you saying?"

"Tell me!" the ancient screams, almost more hurt by her own words than to whom they're directed. "Do you want to stand by my side to help me forget my sadness? To alleviate my pain? Or is it for you? Because you don't want to be hurt, in pain, or lonely? This is pure selfishness!"

"Stop it!" screams another voice, and the white-haired immortal also comes to Cirno's side. "Do you even know what Dai-chan had gone through because of you? Do you know how much she's suffered to get to this point? You call that selfish? All this time Dai-chan has only been thinking about you!"

Fujiwara no Mokou, the immortal, and Cirno, the ancient, stare at each other evenly. There's almost a kin-ness between these two, an equality, like each are cut from similar molds. Neither relent from their positions; Mokou defending the fairy and Cirno admonishing her. From the tension between these two the very heavens seem to tremble.

Long shadows are cast on the earth. Beginning it's final decent on the horizon is the Sun. It's at the brief time when day turns to night. The first few stars are twinkling on the far side of the sky. A chilly breeze is in the air. With the loss of daylight will come a cold that would mark the beginning of a new age, one where ice and snow will reign. This will be a very cold night.

"The one who was her friend is no more," Cirno tells them.

Tears overpower Daiyousei's willpower and overflow. Her gasp on the tall woman releases and she slowly backs away. She knows what she heard, but even with a confession it didn't seem true.

"No, that can't be. You knew my name. You called my Daiyousei."

Turning towards the fairy, "I know you, but only through the eyes of the Little One."

"No. If you've seen everything she has seen, then that means a part of her must be inside of you. She cannot be gone!"

"I saw and witnessed everything same as her, but that does not mean we are of one mind. Nor does it mean that now that I am complete, we are merged. She was one individual and I am another. I am not your friend."

"No! You're lying! Cirno can't be gone! She just can't!"

A tiny voice inside her head told her it was true. It was her warg friend, Hati, who warned her of this possibility. Three outcomes should have been considered: she might be Cirno, the ancient, or a combination of the two. If what the ancient is saying is true, then this is the worst possible outcome.

"No! Some of her must remain!"

In an act that surprises even the unshakable Cirno, who's lived since this world's creation, Daiyousei rushes to a head. In a flash she overcomes that great height and is eye-to-eye with the ancient. Curling her fingers through her hair, on the back of her head, she pulls Cirno's face closer to her own. Her lips to her own.

It was warmer than anyone could possibly image. Cirno was a creature born of water and ice, yet her kiss, even if unwilling, could melt frigid glaciers. Daiyousei could feel as if something was flowing into her, casting away her dark sadness like a sun. Her body was filling with light, an impossible radiance that would make her invincible. All her pain, suffering, throughout this entire journey just for this moment. If only this could last forever.

Painfully the fairy pulls herself way. Blood rushes to her face in a fury, and her expression is blush with a lover's embrace. Even Cirno doesn't seem immune to this sensation, yet she was more in confusion than desire. Every moment, every second, Daiyousei felt as if she would melt. She kisses her again.

Those in attendance couldn't believe what they were seeing. Mokou was reminded of that brief flirting with Keine this morning. Marisa nudges Patchouli, and Patchouli nearly pushes her off the broom. After retrieving Meiling, then Alice, Letty is now returning again for Suwako and is stopped in her tracks. The Suwa goddess stands under her own power, but watching this scene makes her forget her aching pain. Was this the answer to all the anguish the ancient told her she suffered?

Hesitantly Daiyousei pulls herself away. Cirno can no longer look at anyone but her, and likewise the fairy doesn't glance away.

Is this something new for the ancient? Surely in her near-infinite years of life she must have experienced something like this, but her mind is befuddled, in a haze. Everything up to this point is lost in her mind. Only does now exist. The ancient raises her hand. Her trembling fingers gently touch the fairy's cheek. The feeling of her skin is so soft, but it more than that. So much more. Everything within Cirno brightens. This feeling, this connection, is unlike anything she can remember. Such devotion, mind, body, and soul towards her is making her forget everything.

But it's not towards _her_.

Cirno's finger taps Daiyousei just above the temple. The fairy's entire body jerks and her muscles go limp. In an instant her eyes close and she loses the ability to fly, falling uncontrollably towards the frozen lake below. If she continues to fall like this she'll land in the hole leading into the very cold water.

Letty is close enough and catches the fairy while everyone else is stunned. Aside from the only person who seemed able to move, nobody else seems to realize what exactly happened.

Something pierces Mokou through the chest, through the heart, and then immediately removes itself. In an instant her eyes lose all life and she falls to the ground, dead. Suddenly in Cirno's right hand is a sword of ice, long and thin like a rapier. Her attack was so swift, so precise, there's only a little droplet of blood at it's tip.

"Aaaaaaaggggghhhhh!" Cirno suddenly screams.

As if in pain, she bends over and clutches her sides. Underneath the ground rumbles, and after a while large spikes made of ice sprout from the frozen lake. In only a few seconds the entire area is transformed into a jungle of jagged peaks and impossible slopes, mini-mountains sprouting every here and there, and not always straight up. What appears is nothing that could naturally come into existence.

The environment isn't the only undergoing a change. The "dragon" on Cirno's back is growing too. It isn't necessarily getting larger, but the surface it covers the ancient's body is. Those "claws" that were on her shoulders now craw over her chest, stomach, and thighs. That tail of her's grows thicker, longer, and additional wings are being born. First there were two, now four, and finally six. Their span is far longer than any currently know creature on Earth. Ice has crept up her face like a mask or helmet. Only her eyes and mouth are left exposed.

"Let this end!" she screams, and as her transformation finishes, there's a blast of sheer force that knocks away anyone still near.

ACT 5 - FIN

* * *

_And with this, another act closes. Now we head to the sixth and final conclusion. Can't really say much without spoiling it, so I'll just forgo the preview. Everything comes to a head, so I hope you enjoy the finale._

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	31. Act 6 Legend of the Strongest

Act 6

The Legend of the Strongest

What he has Wrought

Removing himself from the shadows, the creature only does this as soon as he knows danger no longer lurks. Since retreating from the Scarlet Devil Mansion after creating a diversion, Hati's been on the run from pursuers who no longer exist. The battle with that Chinese Martial Artist took a toll on him, and after two hours of running he succumb to fatigue. Once awake the next morning he'd been on the prowl for food. He'd found a river and had his fill of water, but a stomach such as his requires more else he suffer malnutrition. Unfortunately his search yielded no results and has left him in a hungry daze for all the daylight hours. It wasn't that he was in such a poor state he was incapable of hunt, but there simply wasn't anything on which he could feast. His own actions contributed to this result so he shouldn't have been surprised, but now that he was no longer trailing others or hiding in a mansion, only now did he realize how terrible and desperate the situation had truly become. Was which he hoped to gain really worth such sacrifice?

Hati had been traveling up this mountain for many hours now. He'd figured he'd find fish aplenty in the chilly waters of the stream which fed Misty Lake, but absolutely nothing could be found. Could all the fish possibly be hiding, or had all the wildlife that has since migrated already ate them all? Whatever the case, there was no meal to be had here.

Near sunset he's come across a shrine-like building. Instead of being an actual shrine, there is something off about the traditional shinto structure. A main shrine is upfront and center, but behind it is a building that gives an off vibe that can't exactly be described. From the scents Hati could distinguish, it felt as if the residents left many hours ago, but there was no way to be certain without actually looking inside. If this was a home, then certainly there are food stores. Even in his hungry and weakened state it was worth the risk of confrontation. If it seemed he couldn't win a fight, he'd have to make use of his Silver Tongue.

He didn't meld into the shadows, but approaches cautiously with the skills he's honed without the use of magic. Such an approach shouldn't prove too difficult.

Slithering past the offering box he approaches the door that leads to the main building. Nothing can be heard from inside, so he takes a chance and opens the latch (a task difficult and noisy for one with only paws). Once inside something odd immediately strikes him, and he rapidly retreats back outside. After a few seconds his mind starts to focus and he realizes what this was.

"Is that," he says to himself, despite being bad practice especially when trying to be sneaky, "an air conditioner?"

This time, with less caution, he enters again. Yes, the unnatural chill he feels is from a device known as an air conditioner. It's purpose is to suck humidity from a room, thus lowering the temperature. This isn't exactly an age where such technology is rare, but since arriving in Gensokyo Hati has yet to find a single trace of "technology." This is the first.

"This shrine has electricity?"

Certainly is it odd. All of Gensokyo seemed trapped at least 300 years in the past. Then again European fairies and vampires were mingled with Japanese yuki-onna and rabbits from the Moon. This land is a mish-mash of the forgotten tales and legends. As of yet not a single thing modern had been found. Well, if this place had just about everything, certainly this shouldn't have been too surprising. Common sense doesn't seem to exist here.

After confirming nobody is present, the wolf-like creature leisurely investigates the home. The bedrooms are of little notice, except one which seems to belong to some kind of adolescent boy. It's filled with posters and models of impossible robots found in cartoons. An interest in technology was one thing, but such machines are fantasy. Everyone is entitled to their hobbies, he guesses.

In the main room is some furniture and a plasma TV. What was the purpose of such things if they couldn't receive any signals from the outside world? Surely they can't receive a satellite signal from Gensokyo, could they? Hati was tempted to turn it on just to find out, but he remembered about the closing of the boundary and knew it wouldn't work at this time. Maybe he'll return later and find out for sure.

Taking a second look he realizes they also have video game consoles. He guesses that makes sense.

In the kitchen is working plumbing, a gas stove, and a microwave. Such appliances really make life convenient, but are worthless to an animal like Hati. However, that refrigerator is a different story. If the owners of this home have stocked up on the amenities of modern living, then surely they have a fridge stocked up on food. Hopefully it isn't all junk food that would upset the stomach of an animal. But even if it is, something to eat is something to eat. At this point Hati can't be picky.

Inside is plenty on which he could dine (mainly the sausages in the crisper), but another problem becomes apparent. All the food is packaged in ways that are extremely difficult for a wolf-like creature to open with merely his paws. It could be done, but the last thing he wants to do at this point is choke on plastic.

"Hello? Kanako-bancho, are you home?"

A sudden voice catches him unaware. While he was salivating over the abundance of food before him, someone managed to come this close without his notice. Immediately he darts behind a counter and hides. It doesn't seem this person has spotted him yet, so he has a moment to think of a course of actions. This Kanako seems to be the homeowner, so this person can possibly be a guest. If he can play it off that he's also a guest he might be able to use this person as aid. Being sneaky might have been a safer bet, but every so often one needs to stick himself out into the open and take chances.

Walking into the open, Hati allows himself to be seen by the one sticking their head through the doorway.

"H-"

"Aaaa!" this person shouts. "It's the bad wolf!"

_The bad wolf?_ "Pardon?"

This person rushes into the house. It a girl with dark hair and black feathered wings. She seems deformed, as one of her arms and both legs are strange. Also is that red "eye" in the center of her chest suspicious. Pointing that long cylinder thing over her right arm at Hati,

"Mooching off Master Satori wasn't enough, but you also do the same with Kanako-bancho. I will never forgive you!"

Whatever she's accusing him of, she's serious. That "cannon" on her arms appears especially dangerous.

"Wait a moment! I think you got me confused with someone else!"

Slightly does the raven lower her aim.

An idea came to him, "Wait, you don't possibly mean Sköll, do you?"

"So you _are_ in league with the bad wolf!"

"What? No! He's just my brother! I don't even know where he is right now!"

Again does the cannon lower.

"The bad wolf is your brother?"

"Yes! He's always been a loner and does his own thing, so I have no idea where he is or what he's doing."

Pointing again at the warg, "You should worry more about your family!"

"Alright! I'm sorry! But I can't do anything until I find him!"

For a few more seconds does she aim at Hati, but afterwords she lowers her arm completely, "Good. As long as you know you have to do something about him. You're siblings, so you shouldn't just abandon him because he's got a terrible personality!"

It appears she really is acquainted with his brother.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Hati allows himself to relax. The amount of pressure that was emanating from the raven was massive. If that "cannon" wasn't intimidating enough, her aura is even worse. This creature is powerful; terribly so. More then just a bomb with a short fuse, it's like she's a nuke that's been armed but doesn't know when to detonate. Hati would like to say he hasn't felt a power as overwhelming as this, but just this morning Cirno awakened. This raven feels a near equal to that ancient monster.

"My name is Hati Hróðvitnisson, charming raven," he introduces himself after his nerves calm, giving her a gentlemanly (for a canine) bow. "What's yours?"

Giggling a little like a bashful schoolgirl, "I'm Utsuho Reiuji, but everyone calls me Okuu."

"Then you may call me Hati."

Okuu seems weak to flattery and praise. In dealing with this raven it would be wise to keep this in mind.

"So what are you doing here at Kanako-bancho's, Hati? Are you going to retrieve a god as well?"

The warg had a story already planned, but what Okuu just said peaked his interest. Throwing that plan out of the way,

"No, I'm not going to retrieve a god. Kanako-bancho gave you one?"

Nodding enthusiastically, "Yes! She gave me the Yatagarasu (his eyes widen at his). It gave me the power of Nuclear Fusion. I guess she just doesn't have things like those laying around."

The Yatagarasu! The divine crow of the Sun? With that Sköll would have the path to the Sun! Except it's already been taken by this Okuu. After being taken into her body it must have lost it's purity and is no longer useful in their mission. This explains why this raven and his brother know one another, and also why she's still alive. It's a shame. This is an extremely close second, but it's still not enough. Sköll must have be pissed. Hati tries not to snicker.

"You were coming to see Kanako-bancho?" Hati asks before she can turn the topic of conversation back on him.

"Oh, yeah! That's right! Master Satori told me to come up to the surface, but she didn't tell me why. I wanted to ask Kanako-bancho if she might know."

Okuu said she held the power of Nuclear Fusion. If that's the case, she's the complete weakness of Cirno. What luck this is! For Hati's mission to succeed Cirno needs to cause enough damage for something specific to happen, but until it does she can't be defeated. His original plan was to have Sköll join in on the battle at the appropriate moment, but this raven is the absolute perfect choice to fill that role. If he can keep this woman occupied until that moment he can guarantee his own plan's success.

"Do you happen to know where she is?"

This raven doesn't seem to know what's happening in Gensokyo at the moment. Hati didn't know how that was possible, but it is. This "Master Satori" knew that Okuu and her power was the solution to saving the world, but for whatever reason she didn't give the specifics to her subject. It didn't make much sense logically, but her reasons don't particularly matter. He can use this.

"Kanako is currently with the vampires at the Scarlet Devil Mansion," he didn't know for sure, but if he had to guess he'd place her there along with the rest of the people who didn't want to go extinct.

She moans, "I don't want to go there."

"Maybe you should wait here until she returns. She might come back at any moment."

"I guess."

Another idea came to him, "Why don't I cook you something to eat?"

Curiosity was set into motion, "You? Cook? Can you cook with four legs?"

She took the bait, "No, but I know a trick. If you let me bite you, I can cook."

She points the cannon arm at him again. "You want to bite me?"

Nervous, but he doesn't back away, "I promise it won't hurt!"

A few moments pass.

"You promise?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

After receiving permission, Hati rushes to her leg and takes a quick bite, drawing just a droplet of blood. Okuu didn't feel a thing. To survive in the modern world, Hati practiced to the point he could take a person's blood and form without their notice. He's very proud of his technique.

After receiving her blood, the imprint of her DNA was etched into his mind. Unfortunately this knowledge is only temporary and he needs fresh blood every time he wishes to transform, even if it's into the same person as before. His fur fades away, wings sprout from his back, and his shape changes. In a few seconds he's a perfect copy of Okuu, minus the eye color.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Okuu claps her left hand against the cylinder on her right. "That's pretty close."

_Pretty close?_ Hati looks herself over and immediately discovers the irregularity. Hati's version of Okuu has normal hands, feet, and no eye on his chest, unlike the original. How in the world did that happen?

"Well, I guess I still need to practice," Hati says in Okuu's voice. "Now, let me cook you something good."

While peculiar, the miss-transformation wasn't that big of a deal. Okuu has a good body. She's of slightly above-average height and has thick, healthy, arms, legs and hips. It's a physically strong body. Daiyousei's and Marisa's pail in comparison. Plus with the added wings and flight. He might decide to stay in this form a while. As long as he supplies his transformation with magic he can keep a form indefinitely, but due to circumstances he hadn't been able for his previous two. As long as he can recover in this pseudo-shrine, he could be in this form for a very long time.

Although this body was advantageous, he'd never admit he only transformed so he wouldn't have to worry about the plastic wrappers. He starts preparing a meal.

All Their Effort

"Let this end!"

Marisa and Patchouli are blown away. Of those who remain, these are the only two still combat-ready. Letty has her hands full with Daiyousei, Suwako is injured and lost in that environmental shift, and Mokou is "dead." The Immortal will come back, but that might take awhile. For now the two magicians must fend for themselves.

Knowing a head-on battle with the ancient is suicide, once Marisa regains control she heads in the opposite direction. It's obvious that Cirno's no longer playing nice, so they can't be leisurely and take things at their own pace. This is probably the World Slayer's full power. Now they must unleash the absolutes of their abilities.

Cirno wastes no moment making pursuit, her speed far greater than it was before. At this rate she'll catch them in only a few seconds. They must act fast.

"Patchy!" Marisa yells.

Her friend already knows what she means. The spellcaster and librarian digs into the girl's pocket and retrieves her pouch. From it she takes two stones then puts it away. Handing one to Marisa they both chant the same spell,

"Five Elements, Philosopher's Stone!"

After a brilliant ray of light they are both surrounded by multicolored wards, circling around them each representing an element of the Universe. Their purpose soon becomes apparent.

Marisa digs out her Hakkero and tosses it to her rear. As if the two of them are synchronized the device comes to a halt at the tail end of her broom and hovers in place. It fires, unleashing her signature spell. However, this isn't directed as an attack. Instead it acts as a propellent for her broom, greatly multiplying it's speed and leaving even this fully-powered Cirno eating their dust. Yet their aim is not to flee.

Now that their velocity is unmatched the pair on the broom have a great advantage. They circle around for a pass at the ancient; who once she realized her pursuit was futile, no longer did she try. Cirno rooted herself in one place and surveys this development.

Faster than a blink they buzz by. Unshaken by their wake, their subsonic blast couldn't possibly hope to rattle the ancient, but that wasn't their only card to play. The firebomb that so greatly effected Cirno before is left in their trail. It's explosion was massive and has the power to crack her body. Now there are hundreds of them. Covering such a vast area, it's like the magicians are waging war on the very sky itself.

The first explodes a good distance away, but it's only the first of many. All these bombs aren't aimed at Cirno directly, but cover an area so vast it should be impossible to avoid. No matter to where she runs she won't escape all of the blasts. As if this were a coordinated fireworks show, the chain reaction of explosions is synchronized so that the ancient has nowhere to escape the blasts.

As the detonation closest to her goes off, Cirno moves. As if somebody was pulling on her strings, her body rigidly dodges to the side. Another firebomb is close, and her body jerks towards the ground. In this manner she continues to dodge. Only with the aid of six wings is such maneuverability possible, but still, with as abruptly as she changes course without losing speed one would have figured all the bones in her body would have been shattered. Even as she's made from ice it shouldn't make a difference. A body honed so perfectly that they can survive such punishment shouldn't exist, yet Cirno herself is the very definition of impossible.

Still, even such unearthly flying can't escape the magician's carpet bombing. At a point she becomes trapped between undetonated fireballs. When the timing of the detonations became irregular Cirno's flying circus hit a snag and it was quite clear she wasn't certain on how to proceed. Once she started to hesitate she was slowly backed into a corner. Now she's surrounded with only luck to see to it that she'll escape. Truth be told it was Patchouli who was the trigger to the blasts. While one would think she'd set a timer for each spell she cast, in reality, and with the aid of the Philosopher's Stone, she now has the mental and magical capacity to control each individually in these overwhelming numbers. This was why Marisa considered the stones a Trump Card.

Explosions happen simultaneously on all sides of Cirno. As designed their opponent had fallen into the worst possible position, trapped with the use of temporarily unlimited magic. Such spells could be cast haphazardly with one of the world's most precious relics.

Once losing sight of the ancient in the blasts, Marisa retrieves her Hakkero and aims at the center of the blast.

"Master Spark!"

Adding insult to injury, Marisa fires her deadliest laser towards the center of the detonations. The magician's blast is so wide that even if she doesn't hit dead-center, it's still highly unlikely she'll miss. Quickly does Marisa's magic blow away the residual fire from the explosion, clearing the area so they could view the outcome. They weren't sure if this was enough to destroy Cirno, but they had their hopes.

Suddenly a blue egg-shaped object is ejected from the mayhem. After a couple second the shape unravels, revealing a seemingly unhurt Cirno underneath. She'd wrapped herself in her wings of ice to protect herself. Marisa and Patchouli break out into a cold sweat. Disoriented herself, Cirno takes a moment to scan the battlefield before she finds her foes. Once she does she takes flight. Seeing that her laser is being wasted, Marisa ceases her spell and uses her Hakkero once again as a jet to her broom.

Just as they make their sudden acceleration, something born from fire impedes the ancient's path. Simply is it flames, but it burns from nothing and has the shape of a giant bird. This unnatural creation flaps it's wings as it hovers in place, and if it had eyes they would no doubt be locked onto Cirno. That woman too stares back, flapping her six wings of ice as if to compare sizes. She then looks to the ground, and there finds the white-haired immortal, no longer "dead." Mokou has been revived and is rejoining the fight.

Finding their teammate back in action, Marisa banks hard to make another pass at the world slayer. The effects from the Philosopher's Stone last only so long, so they have to make use of it while they can. Mokou isn't equipped with a radio, so communication between the two parties is difficult, and coordination impossible. A complicated cooperative maneuver isn't an option, so only can they continue to pound away with their strongest spells.

Waving her arms down, the bird of fire soars at Cirno. Readying her sword, the woman likewise charges. Suddenly the bird bursts, scattering smaller flames in a wide area. It was a trick of the eyes; there wasn't one giant bird, but hundreds of smaller ones gathered in formation. The moment they split they all take individual paths and charge at their target. In some ways this might be more difficult than dealing with solely one monstrous foe.

Still, Cirno doesn't back down. Sacrificing no speed she charges with the same vigor. As she approaches the first of the birds, a swift sword strike cuts it in two. As they have nothing to burn, being cut in form also meant being cut in magic. What was holding them together no longer existed, therefore unless it has something other then oxygen to burn it's going to dissolve into nothingness. This first dispatched does exactly that.

After cleaving the bird in two Cirno takes a quick step backward. The spell might be dead, but fire is still hot. For someone made of ice this could be a tricky attack to out-maneuver. Not to mention this was only one bird. Hundreds still remain.

Ice crawls over every contour of Cirno's body. Before a good portion of her skin was exposed (mainly her stomach, legs, chest, and face), but now it wraps itself around her like a barrier. Nearly all of her distinguishing features are lost underneath the frozen armor. Not particularly aesthetically designed, her new outfit looks blocky, nearly like a big blue queen ant. Only could one tell it was Cirno by the flowing blue hair pouring out the back of the "helmet." Encased in her own shell the ancient heads straight into the flock of flames.

Cirno's aerial dance is a sight to behold. Coming to a bird, she swings her blade, then immediately heads to the next. Her speed is unbelievable and her turning impossible. As if she and the birds were attracted to each other like magnets, she'd charge at one, slice through it, then move to the next just the same no mater the direction. It was like watching a master artist quickly sketching with a pencil; one moment they're working on one line then abruptly head in another direction. Nearly was it impossible to follow with one's own eyes. From point to point to point Cirno moves and dispatches Mokou's spell piece by piece. The immortal herself can't believe it, and at a point she ceases controlling the flock altogether. Mesmerized by the sky-bound spectacle she watches in awe as the last bird is cut down.

Panting from the vigorous maneuver she'd just preformed, it's the first time Cirno has been short of breath. Easily does the sword reform after dealing with such punishment, but the armor doesn't fair the same. Much has been melted away. Her face is completely exposed, whatever clothes remained have been turned to ash, and her indecencies are only veiled by chunks of ice. Mothers would tell their children to turn away, and the husbands would likely receive an earful from their wives. If Cirno's state of undress reflects the punishment she's endured in this hours long battle, then surely progress is being made. However much longer the world slayer might hold out is anyone's guess.


	32. Failure

What makes a difference

Marisa wastes no time capitalizing on Cirno's moment of recovery. Doing another high-speed-pass she traverses overhead while Patchouli litters another shower of firebombs. The magic crests circling them are starting to fade, the stone supplying they with near limitless magic is about to expire. This is their last spurt before it dies.

After laying all the bombs the crests fade completely, falling to gravity and eventually evaporating into nothingness. So too does Marisa's jet acceleration, as the power of the Philosopher's Stone was applied to her Hakkero rather than herself. After being stressed so greatly it would be unwise to try and supply the artifact with another stone lest it break. Their speed and safety came at a price, so where the battle would turn from her would depend on how Cirno deals with this second volley of firebombs.

Suddenly all of them explode at the same time. The sudden and unexpected blast is so great it nearly knocks the two off the broom. Marisa manages to keep her balance but she's far from gaining control. For a while the two fall in an uncontrolled decent until the driver finally remembers which side is up. Once she does she pulls them to a complete stop, taking a moment to catch her breath and calm her heart.

Mokou saw the entire feat. Cirno's sword grew impossibly long, a length so great it should have collapsed under it's own weight. But it wasn't that it merely grew larger, it took another shape entirely. From it's original tip it grew into branches, forking into multiple paths and doing so hundreds of times. No longer was this a sword, it more resembled a lash, and even more, a mistletoe. All it took was one swing of that hundred bladed weapon and all the bombs were slashed. Leaving nothing but the original blade, the extensions of the weapon shattered nearly immediately afterwords.

No longer can the immortal sit idly by. Cirno's manipulation of ice is reaching ridiculous levels. Her strength seems limited only by her imagination. Never before would Mokou believe Patchouli's rain of fire could be dismantled so effortlessly. Such creativity would prove the demise of them all. Since Mokou's the immortal and doesn't have to worry about consequences, it's her duty to be the shield and protect those who lack her longevity.

Ice impales her from behind.

Seeing the sudden spike burst through her stomach, Mokou can barely turn around to see what happened. That psychedelic forest of ice underneath has since grown. No longer does it even remotely resemble anything of this Earth. Defying structural integrity and gravity, these frozen creations almost sprout from the ground like trees, but their branches not only shoot for the sky, by sideways and back to the ground. Their icy tendrils reach in all directions and tangle together. It's like the surface of the lake has become a mass field of tumbleweed, or barbed wire laid about without leaving a single opening. Now one of these branches is protruding through her midsection.

Coughing up blood, Mokou places her hands on the nail pinning her in place. Immune to death the only thing that can still her body is lack of willpower. As many times as she can get knocked down she can get up one more. Even something as this is only a temporary state. A hole in her can only slow her down, not stop her. All she has to do is melt the ice and free herself.

Another icicle pierces her arm, then more through her hands. It's clear this wasn't happening by accident; Cirno is controlling how this forest of ice is growing.

While Mokou was distracted with having her body destroyed, Cirno closed in and was now facing her. The ancient stares at the immortal, her eyes observing and face portraying no emotion. Mokou tries to move but can't. After struggling then taking a break to gather strength so she can try again, she finally notices the one before her.

"What?" Mokou spits out. "Is this the best you can do? You're gonna have hell to pay when I get myself out of here."

"Do you enjoy never being able to die?"

The sudden question asked of her makes Mokou forget what she's trying to do. She shoots Cirno a nearly disgusted glance, then shakes her head.

"Don't tell me you're getting off on this kind of thing? Let me guess, since I can't die you think you can break me by making me feel pain? Don't bother. I've experienced so much, had my body ripped apart so many times that I barely even notice it anymore."

"That's not what I meant," Cirno's voice hints hostility. "I want to ask, do you regret becoming what you've become?"

Mokou has the sudden urge and vomits blood. After taking a few breaths, "No. To get what I really want from this world I had no choice but to become an immortal. I don't regret it for a minute!"

"But immortality is forever. What happens after you get what you want? You can't suddenly surrender your immortality, you can't say 'I'm done' and leave this world satisfied. Once you've gained everything you want, you shall no longer want anything; then you'll be stuck in this world losing all that you've accomplished, one by one, because only you are forever, not the things you love."

After a coughing fit, Mokou laughs. "I guess I didn't think that far."

Her obstinacy is thick. Clearly this person isn't in the mood for a philosophical debate. The ice encasing Cirno's injured left hand suddenly shatters. Raising it as if on display,

"You gained immortality by drinking the Hourai Elixir, right? That's certainly a funny concept, drinking something and have life everlasting. Tell me, do you think such a thing is even possible?"

"Why don't you cut my head off and watch me bite you with it."

"Legends such as that have existed long before this world. In the previous age, it was known as the H'gwk, but where is it's creator now? They thought they were immortal all those eons ago, but I proved them wrong."

Mokou's shoulders jerk, "What are you talking about?"

"Immortals can die just like any other."

"Bull! This body of mine can recover from anything that can be done to it! It's perfect!"

"Ending an immortal is so simple you're really going to laugh. If you have to drink something to gain something that powerful, all you have to do is pull it out."

Laughing at that statement, "That's impossible! Once I ingested the elixir it became a part of me! It's impossible to separate me from it!"

Cirno's face is devoid of humor, "Did you know that 100% pure water is actually a poison? When you normally drink water your body absorbs the mineral present, and for there to not be any impurities present is impossible. However, if it were possible and you did drink pure water, the same process happens but in reverse. See, water naturally wants to mix with anything it comes in contact with, which is why 100% pure water doesn't exist naturally."

Mokou starts to tremble when she realizes where this conversation is going.

"If I pumped enough pure water through your body, then surely I can absorb the elixir making you immortal. And this was confirmed by the very one who crafted that elixir of yours; my body is made of 100% pure water. So if there is anyone capable of killing an immortal, wouldn't it be I?"

Cirno places her hand on Mokou's chest.

Mokou can tell her words hold no lies. She doesn't completely get this pure water theory, but something tells her that the ancient is right. Even if her head can't understand it, her heart and her fear does. This woman can do as she says, she can slay an immortal. Mokou's heart races as she feels Cirno's cool touch. Sweat drips from her brow and her skin has broken out in gooseflesh. An ice chill runs down her spine, and every fiber of her body is telling her to flee.

"No! Stop!"

Above, Marisa and Patchouli can do nothing but watch. The Philosopher's Stone might have run out of power, but their own supply should be fine. However, the use of such a precious item comes with a nasty side-effect. While their own magic supply might not be accessed while under the influence of the stone, magic is still channeled through them. Once that source is expended, it takes a few minutes for the magician's normal flow to restore itself. Putting it in layman's terms, after using the Philosopher's Stone they are unable to use complicated magic for a short time.

"Marisa," Patchouli calls her from her rear.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to help Mokou."

Marisa turns away from what's happening below and looks to her friend at her rear, "Patchy, what are you-" once she sees, her body freezes in shock.

The librarian was never one of good health. Her dedication to her craft has left an already weak body nearly crippled. All those hours of studying and exposure to hazardous elements through the use of alchemy doesn't leave many magicians able to run marathons. Magic comes at a dangerous price, and a magician is as likely to die at the hands of one of their own experiments as they are the hands of someone else. What Marisa now sees is the beginning stages of the former.

Inside Patchouli's loose grasp is the pouch which contained the extra Philosopher's Stones. Which _once_ contained the stones. Now it hangs empty. Many were brought with them for use with a long engagement, but suddenly they are all gone.

Marisa accuses, "Patchouli, what did you do?"

Patchouli smiles, a loving and heartwarming smile. It's a smile one gives to another when they're saying "goodbye."

"I had to," her skin casts a radiance, it's glowing, "there's no other way."

"Patchy!"

"Cirno's just too strong," her iris' and pupils fade to white, "we can't hope to defeat her unless we do this much." Her hair shines like the gentle glow of the moon. "To match the power of someone who's lived for billions of years, I swallowed the three remaining stones."

"But that will kill you!"

The greatness of the Philosopher's Stone is it's ability house and store pure magical power. Unlike other gems and crystals that do the same, it also has the capacity to strengthen the spells of the caster. However, it isn't stored in a stone merely for later use, but because such a great power can't be housed by any normal being. Foolish magicians in the past had mistaken a Philosopher's Stone's power for their own, and for that they've paid the price. The power of the stones can't truly be controlled by anyone, and if attempted, the great force within will devour anyone who tries. Once ingested or otherwise fused within a living being, the stone will continue to strengthen a multiply a magician's magic. Unfortunately this cycle is without end, and once the limits of a mortal body is reached, they burst. This is the choice Patchouli made.

The youkai magician draws close to her human friend, leaning her forehead against her friend's. Their touch is hot, Patchouli's magically enhanced body is generating a heat nearly too great for other to be near. In a few moments it will be.

"It has to be done. I miss Remi and want to see her again, but I also want this world to continue with you in it. I know it's selfish of me, but if there was another way I'd already have done it."

"Patchy!"

Gently the glowing magician pushes herself away, "I don't know if my sacrifice will make a difference, but regardless of what happens, I want you to do whatever you have to to survive."

Patchouli leans back on the broom, and falls off.

"Patchy!"

Marisa reaches out and tries to catch her friend. She misses.

The Meaning of 100%

Falling, Patchouli's speed is somehow greater than normally being effected by gravity. Below, Cirno doesn't seem to have done much to the immortal she claims she has the ability to slay. What's of more interest to her is what seems to be happening above her. Of the immortal and enhanced magician, it seems as if the latter is the greater threat. Between the two an immortal can be dealt with whenever she wished, but a rampaging spell-caster with limitless power is something that must be handled immediately.

Magic circles etch themselves into the sky. They glow from an unknown material and are written in an ancient language that no longer exists. Many years must a person study to be able to reach such text, and Patchouli is one of those few. These are Summoning Circles, seven of them in total. Magical bolts of energy spark forth as they draw their targets from another realm. Cirno removes her hand from Mokou's chest and readies her body for what's to come.

From the summoning gates books emerge. Perhaps not the most intimidating of conjurations, but for the Unmoving Great Library there is no creatures more suiting to stand by her side. From the seven books lasers fire, aiming for the narrow gap between Cirno and her hostage. The ancient is left with no other option than to back away. Despite falling at great speed, Patchouli comes to an immediate stop the moment her body is in a position to shield the immortal. Her seven books do likewise, and they orbit around their master like satellites.

Cirno and Patchouli square off, the other completely recognizing their opponent's power. Patchouli almost seems to have grown taller. Her skin glows, eyes have lost color, and her hair floats from the surging magic within. Those pajamas she always wore now tightly clings to her body, flowing as if it were some kind of fancy dress. This is a person worlds different than the one always sitting by herself in a library.

"You-" Cirno started to say.

Before the ancient can get out more than a single word, the seven books open. One of them casts it's own spell circle. It's starting.

Metal gears appear from Patchouli's sides. Rotating as they fly, they are little different than saws to those which they come into contact. A fleet of them are fired. They start off low, heading into the forest of ice, tearing apart everything in their path. Once they traveled a certain distance they turn towards the sky, aiming at the ancient from below. Cirno has no choice but to dodge.

Another book starts casting. Those firebombs from before are launched like motors. This incoming volley is the threat from overhead. However, unlike before they don't detonate midair. As Cirno avoids them along with the gears, they sail right past her and fall to the forest and the surface of the lake, exploding only when making physical contact with something. Their destruction reeks massive damage to the environment, but Cirno can't get distracted by everything that's being destroyed.

Another spell. Yellow and green orbs circle around Patchouli overhead in a spiral pattern, traveling a larger distance with each revolution. From these orbs teardrops of magical energy are rained down onto the battle field, providing a threat from directly above. Cirno must also be mindful of this as she avoids.

Yet another spell. Pillars of fire burst from the ground like eruptions of a volcano. They travel like rainwater from a mountain, in whatever path is determined to them by a gravity-like force. They spay fire into the air, but not high enough to Cirno's current altitude. At the moment they might not be a threat, but at the very least she can't retreat to the ground.

Underneath Patchouli a magic circle grows, a multitude of laser fire into the sky, orbiting around the castor. This might seem pointless, but it prevents approach.

A ring appears around the magician's body. It's bright yellow like the glow of the Sun. Rotating around her and slowly growing larger, it's spraying arrows of fire in all directions. Their rampage is indiscriminate, obliterating less of their target than the forest and lake in collateral damage. Normally such carnage isn't tolerated no matter the circumstances.

Seven books, six continuously casting their each individual spells. This chaos is insane, a berserk spell-caster using everything in her arsenal no matter the price. There's no way a single magician could produce this level of mayhem, but the Philosopher's Stones supplies her with an inconceivable amount of magic. Even one such as Cirno doesn't have this much power at her disposal.

Cirno avoids the best she can. Even with six wings and incredible maneuverability and speed, no paths appear before her and she's continuously being pushed back. This is terrible in more ways than one. Not only is the surroundings being destroyed, but this chaos is so indiscriminate that it's impossible to guess the future consequences. Cirno might have locked herself away from the world all those 1500 years ago, but it was things of this nature that would have awaken her from her sleep and forced her to act. Even if this wasn't directed at her, she would put a stop to it.

Patchouli has seemed to have lost all sense of objectivity and reason. This move was first an attempt to free Mokou and give Marisa a chance to escape, yet with her blind rampage neither had been accomplished. Even if most of the carnage was directed to her front, even to her rear there wasn't room for Marisa to get close and free the immortal from being being nailed down by ice spikes. It appears as if she's lost herself to the power she's come to possess.

A portion of the ice armor Cirno used before covers and protects her skin. Perhaps due to the dire situation she now finds herself in, the ancient can't focus enough to form complete protection, but this will have to do. She charges forward.

If a path existed, she would have taken it. Unfortunately Patchouli casts so drastically that it's over-the-topness is equal to it's lethality. It's impossible to draw in without taking hits. Most she can avoid, but she's grazed, nicked, and hit more times than she normally would have cared for. Her armor doesn't fare too well and is nearly completely broken apart before she can progress very far. Off all that's sent her way, the most dangerous are those mortars and metal gears. Keeping her altitude above the pillars of fire, she neglects the arrows from the ring and the raining energy. For the most part her wings protect her from the rain, but her wings are her lifeline. If she loses them she loses her speed, and if she loses her speed she's practically finished. Were the full force of this onslaught directed solely on her not even she would survive. Such desperation is only used on a do-or-die attack, so that must be her current mindset.

For as quickly and abruptly as her body is capable of moving, she can only do so as much as her eyes can direct her. When she was shaving away Mokou's fire birds it wasn't so bad. With those she started with the outside edges and worked her way in, but here so much of her vision is obstructed and all these things keep coming from every direction. It's impossible to keep a diligent focus on everything. As she bobs and weaves, zigs and zags, not everything can be avoided even if it is avoidable. Magic droplets chip at her wings, arrows destroy her armor and crack her skin, and the worst of it is still protecting the magician: the Sun Ring and lasers to the heavens. It's only going to get worse as she gets closer. Not to mention there's still that seventh, unused book.

Just when she fears she might not make it, a path suddenly appears directly towards Patchouli. With this level of mayhem and randomness, it's impossible to be that precise and completely cover yourself. Also is it impossible to do this on purpose and lay a trap. Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of individual hazards are blaring across the sky. Keeping track of each and every one of them is impossible no mater the individual directing them. It's now or never!

Cirno charges forward with all her might. Only briefly is the path completely clear. As the tunnel starts to collapse, the rain of magic impedes her path. Of all the spells being cast, this was by far the weakest, but it's still magic and a hit in the face is still a hit in the face. Unable to foresee the droplet that was suddenly before her, the ancient has no choice but to charge through it. The meager blast hits and detonates on her face, but she doesn't let that hinder her progress. After eating the blast she yells as she barrels forwards.

A heaven-bound laser cuts off her tail and the Sun Ring singes her hair, but she's managed to appear before Patchouli. Only a few meters separate the two.

The seventh book opens.

"Sun Sign!" Patchouli screams. "Royal Flare!"

Marisa, only moments sooner, had finally managed to approach Mokou. Removing someone from a battlefield can sometimes be more dangerous than actually fighting. Rules for medics and rescuers only go so far as: keep your head down, pull the injured to safety or, if they can't be moved, treat them on the spot regardless if you're still under fire. While Patchouli was firing indiscriminately, Marisa could only do her best and pray that she wouldn't get hit while she was pulling Mokou from the ice. When she heard her magician cast her latest spell, she only had enough time to turn her head.

"Wha-"

From the Scarlet Devil Mansion, everything was lost in a bright light. The flare caused all to shield their eyes and take cover. There wasn't an explosion, per se, but a huge gust of wind is produced and everyone can feel the heat. A loud rumble assaulted their ears as if two great forces were colliding. Some instinctively took cover, but the observer Momiji tried her best not to shy away. No matter her bravery, this spell cast the same effects of the Sun, so even if she didn't know it she's being pounded with ultraviolet radiation.

In reality it only lasted all of five seconds, but suffering though such devastation made those seconds feel like minutes. Once everyone came to they were all blinded. Fleeting daylight was already scarce, and now with such a bright flare it's that much harder to adjust their eyes back to the darkness. It'll be several seconds before they realize what's happened.

Cirno, Marisa, and Mokou all took the brunt of that attack, with perhaps the magician being the worst off since she was the closest. Her back was to the spell so she barely understood what happened, let alone braced herself against it.

A nearby crackling reaches her ears and invades her sleep. Knowing that something has happened, while maybe not exactly what happened, her eyes open to a dark and hazy sight before her. Stinging cold bites at her skin and every portion of herself in contact with the ground hurts. Nothing does she see but the fields of white snow and herself, with a faint orange flicker from a nearby fire. Her body's wet, from what she doesn't know, but it's wet. Snow is packed on the ground beneath her so she is even more confused. She's not going to figure out anything unless she gets up.

Standing, she looks around. For the most part it looks as if she's on Misty Lake's frozen surface, but something feels off. Nearby Mokou looks "dead" again, so the magician ignores that and tries to figure out what's wrong. It takes a few moments but she realizes it; the forest of ice has been decimated. How that came to pass she doesn't remember. Nearby something burns on the ground (the faint light) but she can't tell what it is. Seven things are burning, enough to light the field and make enough visible. Night has come, and it's especially dark since tonight's a new moon.

Something drips from above and pats Marisa on the head. Her body quivers at the surprise, but she gathers her wits enough to think around things rationally. Already an idea popped into her head, but she feels the wet substance just to make certain. Bringing her fingertips to where her eyes can see, she finds them coated with a greasy red liquid. Unmistakeably it's blood.

Having suffered major injury, it's a wonder she doesn't expect it to be her own. Intuition told her this wasn't her blood, which is surprising because she could very well be covered in her juices. But she knew it wasn't hers, and that she must look up. She obeys.

Seeing what's above her, everything returns to her memory in a rush. What happened, why she's hurt, and the source of the blood. In that instant all pieces come together and she has complete understanding, yet she can't bring herself accept that truth. Falling to her knees, Marisa sees what happened through the tears now forming in her eyes.

"No," she whispers, her voice lost the very essence of life.

Cirno and Patchouli hover above Marisa, the librarian's body limp while the ancient's hand is in her stomach. "In," as in piercing her stomach. Blood pours from the wound, rolls down the ancient's arm, and drips below onto Marisa's upturned glare. Feeling the remnants of her friend splashing on her face, the woman screams.

As if to taunt her, the moment Cirno hears the scream she pulls her hand out of Patchouli's guts, spraying a great deal of blood as she does. The librarian's body fall unceremoniously to the ground. There is no reaction from her. Seeing her friend fall, Marisa summons strength from the very depths of her soul, rising to her feet and running to the spot Patchouli will land. Sliding because she won't make it, the human magician barely manages to catch her friend.

"Patchy! Patchy!" she screams.

Behind, Marisa can barely hear the ancient landing, but she does, and she hears the heavy footsteps that are approaching. Still, all of her focus is on her unresponsive friend cradled in her arms.

"Patchy," her words turn into sobs.

Cirno comes to a stop right behind Marisa and Patchouli. Blood is still dripping from her hand, but it runs off her like it's a sin to stain her beautiful body. In a few seconds her arm is completely clean. Not saying a word, Cirno simply stands behind the sole remaining opposition.

As she fights her tears, Marisa tells her, "I didn't want this. I didn't want any of this. It would have been fine if that goofy little fairy was still around, or if you stayed asleep forever. The last thing I wanted was for something like this to happen. I didn't want anyone to fight or anyone to get hurt. So why did this have to happen?"

Cirno doesn't answer, but she gives the ultimate conclusion, "It's over."

"Yes," the magician's words are long and drawn out, "it is."

Marisa stands and faces the ancient, her friend still in her arms. Cirno's body is in taters. Large cracks have taken half her face, her left arm is battered and chipped away, looking like it might break off at any second. Overall most of her body is covered in scars, but she's still whole. That can't be said about anyone else still on the battlefield.

"Enough with this slow play," Marisa voice is regaining it's strength, "hurry up and put an end to it."

Cirno takes a step back, eyes hurt and confused at the same time. She couldn't possibly be intimidated, could she?

Regaining herself, Cirno steps forward again and yells, "What are you doing? It's over! Hurry and get her the doctor!"

She can barely say, "Wha-"

Patchouli coughs, vomiting much blood as she does. Despite how badly she looks, Marisa's friend is still alive. Not exactly sure what's happening, Marisa nearly starts running that very moment, but a heavy left foot refuses to budge. It's her fear that holds her in place, fear of the destroyer of worlds that's within arm's reach. Before she can run, she has to turn back one more time.

Cirno's expression is conflicted. Her brow is trying to stay stern, but her eyes are lax and her cheeks tighten. It looks as if she's trying to hold back tears. Her voice breaks as she says,

"Go."

Wasting no more precious time, Marisa abandons the battlefield.

* * *

_That's it for Chapter 2 of the final act. As you can tell, this was posted off my regular schedule. Why was that? For what special occasion do we receive this update? Hmmm, nothing really. If I had to say, it's because I've finished Legend of the Strongest before my scheduled updates could catch up. So, since I'm done and the rest I have to work on is more Proofreading than Editing, I'm upping the release schedule because _I'm _impatient. I don't remember exactly how many chapters remain (plus an epilogue), but this story should be completed in about two weeks. In the mean time I'll be starting a new story. Hopefully once I've dumped Legend of the Strongest in the "Completed" category, I'll be able to immediately start posting my new project.  
_

_One thing I wanted to cover before but hadn't really remembered to until now, was the heights of characters in Gensokyo. Since I'm already into a rant I thought, "why the heck not." Who exactly is the tallest of the danmaku girls? Well I think it would be Yuugi, and Suika doesn't count because she can grow to as large as she wants. Yuugi is a tall, muscular oni, and I imagine her to be of International Super Model stature. IRL I would put her somewhere between 6' and 6'6'' (don't like feet and inches? convert it yourself for a change). 2nd tallest would likely be Meiling. Our long legged Martial Artists is another physically gifted girl, so I'd put her between 6' and 6'2'', but shorter than Yuugi. Moving down the line it would likely be Yukari, Kanako, Ran, Yuyuko, Yuuka, and maybe Sakuya in the 5'8'' to 5'10'' range. The rest would be of the average for Asia heights, with the fairies, vampires, and whatnot in the lower 3'-4' range.  
_

_Why did I bring this up? Well, I wanted Ancient Cirno to be an impossibly imposing, and intimidating figure. What better way than to do that with height. In my mind I imagine her to be mythical and larger than life, so I thought I'd go on a limb and make her extremely tall. I don't remember if I ever quoted an exact height, but I put her at 7 1/2 feet tall. Even I couldn't guess her weight, but I'd imagine she can be very heavy yet still look incredibly feminine. I thought in this way she could have physical strength equal to an oni without being a hax character like Flandre. Perhaps the thing I wanted to convey the most with Ancient Cirno is that she is ludicrously strong without being invincible. Stronger than steel yet still fragile (you'll see more of the fragile in the next chapter). Hopefully I'll prove that point by the end of the story.  
_

_Well, I'll stop now before my rant becomes longer than the actual chapter. See you next time.  
_

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	33. Human Emotions

Strength of the Human Spirit

Watching the magicians disappearing in the direction of the mansion, after she's all alone Cirno falls to her knees. The emotions shes trying to fight burst in an explosion of tears. Crying into her hands, she's the picture of a wife who's received the news her husband has died in the war. Unbearable sadness possesses her soul and escapes amidst her cries. Is such sorrow the motivation of the world's destruction?

"What the hell is this?" a cranky voice sounds to her rear. It's the immortal, Fujiwara no Mokou, 'alive' again. "Why the hell are you trying to kill everyone if you're just going to cry like a baby about it?"

Cirno struggles enough with the tears as to speak, "I'm not trying to kill anyone. I'm just doing what I have to do."

"Bull! What do you call killing me twice?"

Cirno only 'killed' Mokou once, Patchouli did it the second time. Still, she mumbles, "You don't count."

"Ha ha," she readies her arms as is she's about to cast another spell.

Before she does, Cirno asks a question, "Don't I have the right to defend myself?"

This halts Mokou's progress, "What?"

"Don't I have the right to defend myself? I've only retaliated against those who've attacked me first. If you finish whatever it is you've started, I'm going to starting defending myself again."

Cringing as if she's been offended, "Are you serious? Aren't you trying to destroy the world? What was with that whole mind-thingy about 'Embrace your fate and slowly perish along with this current era?'"

Putting a finger to her chin as she thinks about it, Cirno then points it in the air, "A bluff?"

"A bluff? Are you kidding me?"

Quivering at the sound of Mokou's raised voice, Cirno takes a moment afterwords to wipe away her tears. She stands.

"Do I not deserve to exist in this world?"

Moment by moment Mokou is losing her will to fight, something incredibly difficult for as hardheaded as she can be, "What?"

"I've tried to effect this world, to step in and make a difference for the better. But no matter how hard I try, how much I wish, I just can't lead this world to what would be a benefit to everyone."

"So how is destroying-" Mokou corrects herself, "pretending to destroy the world supposed to help?"

Taking a moment, Cirno refreshes herself with a deep breath and looks away. Then she looks down. Her body jerks in surprise, only now noticing she's nearly naked. Quickly she covers herself in modesty, turns back to Mokou with an embarrassed expression, then away again. Pounding her foot down on the ground, snow is kicked up only in her surroundings. The snow collects and covers herself. Moments later color starts to show and it's form completely changes. In a few short seconds her blue dress is resurrected. A few short seconds later her wings fold into themselves, cannibalizing themselves and compacting, turning into long thin icicles once more. Much of her charm and beauty have returned, but only because one can't tell all the terrible and disfiguring injuries she bares underneath her dress. Pretty much all that can be seen it the cracks on the left side of her face, but it could almost pass for a tattoo or be covered by her hair.

After that comic moment, she speaks again, "It's a trigger, forcing them to make a choice that will greatly effect the world, even if the consequences are a fallacy."

Mokou didn't understand, "And what's that supposed to accomplish?"

"It's to protect you."

"Protect us? Protect us from what?"

Seeing the agitation on her face, Cirno smiles in good humor, "If you truly wish to stay an immortal, then one day in the far future you'll come to understand why I'm doing this. Compare the efforts of Hong Meiling with Patchouli Knowledge, otherwise I can't tell you in words."

Clicking her tongue, "Fine, whatever. So what happens to you after you've taught us a lesson?"

Cirno doesn't answer.

After everything she's suffered at the hands of the ancient, amazingly worry now strikes her brow, "You can't possibly...you're not going to walk away from this, are you?"

Slightly does Cirno lower her gaze, looking impossibly lonely. A strong wind nearly seems enough to shatter her into pieces.

Cirno turns away, walking a few paces to the side, then turns back, her forefoot drawing a perfect curve across the snow. Her left arm is low as if ready to catch any blow thrown her way, and her right above her head as if to snap like a viper and bite it's prey. It's a martial arts stance that greatly resembles something Meiling might use.

"I detest the fact that you've corrupted your soul by making yourself immortal, but your sin isn't mine to correct. However, come at me again and I'll do you the favor of ending your suffering before it's begun. Now, make your choice."

The fear Mokou felt before was real, and now paralysis prevents her from moving forward. An invisible wall separates the two, perhaps the only thing that keeps her from suffering a "complete" death. This ancient and majestic creature seems ready to snatch up and devour any who invades it's space, and now Mokou is the prime offender. One step is all it would take, one step and the immortal would know if her would-be bane is bluffing.

She doesn't move.

"Don't be ashamed," Cirno tells her, "foes no less mighty than an immortal have cowered before me. Once there was a time when a great number of dragons would blacken a noon sky, and they would have fled at my approach. Knowing yourself and your limitation is the ultimate virtue, and acting regardless is more foolish than courageous. Not to say foolishness and courage are not needed at times, but today has seen enough of both, and will see more still. Turn away while you can, this shouldn't last much longer."

Many "deaths" has Mokou experienced, but the next, by the hands of Cirno, terrifies her greatly. From her toes to the hairs on her head, every cell in the immortal's body was telling her to "Flee, flee." After having gained everlasting life, an inexperienced young human thought she'd never again suffer fear, but even as an immortal she's learned that there are still things in this world completely beyond one's grasp. What stands before her now is one of those things.

Finally Mokou abandons the idea of fighting. She can't win, pure and simple. Having fear sink it's poisonous fangs into her soul has left her unable to fully utilize her strength, and engaging in combat with such a disadvantage would be the final step of her defeat. It's time to walk away.

"Mokou," Cirno calls to her when she recognizes the woman's intentions, "please be with Daiyousei when she wakes up. Whatever happens to me, you should be the one to tell her."

The immortal had taken half a step away when she was spoken to. Halting for a moment, she says four words before she flies away, "I don't get you."

Cirno doesn't lower her guard even after Mokou leaves. She stands, still and ready, for a threat that can come at any moment. The entire force gathered by the Scarlet Devil Mansion has been decimated, so what's left?

A figure crashes into Cirno at high speed. At the last possible moment the tall woman twists her body, collapses her arms, and is hit. This attacker was expecting a clean blow, but she's greeted by the impossible reflexes and timing of the ancient. She grabs the person by the horns protruding from her head, rolls through the snow, then tosses her into the distance, rolling herself until she firmly plants her feet on the ground and takes a ready position once more. The figure that was thrown soars through the air, adjusting herself and landing, feet digging into the snow as she slides across.

"Oh, I wasn't expecting _that_. Yuugi would love to go a round with you."

This small girl almost seems larger than herself. Like a fugitive, her hands are shackled and a broken chains dangles from her wrists. It's as if she were once a prisoner and keeps her bindings as a sort of memento. Add to the twin horns on her head, it makes her seem to have broken out of her cell from sheer force like bull. Whatever the case, this is a powerful existence.

Cirno's brows narrow, "It felt like a behemoth was approaching. I'm sorry, but the Ice Fairy didn't have contact with you. Who are you?"

Her own brow is cocked, "That's a peculiar thing to say, but then again I didn't ever run into Cirno myself. My name is Ibuki Suika. Yours?"

"Cirno, as you should know."

"You're nothing like the Cirno I was told about. I was expecting a pipsqueak."

To this the ancient doesn't respond.

"Going silent now? I don't mind. I was warned that it might not be a good idea to go toe-to-toe with you, but I'm thinking this could have been solved much quicker if I stepped in at the very beginning."

Never dropping her guard or her stare, Cirno takes a deep breath then exhales, "Then by all means, hit me with everything you've got-"

Giant spikes of ice suddenly sprout from the frozen lake, first from Cirno's rear then circling around the two in a border, creating an arena-like battlefield. The caster of this spell didn't even budge to make it happen. Suika couldn't lie and say she wasn't impressed, so she said nothing. This wasn't going to be easy.

Hope

Walking through the broken doors, this was only the second time Mokou stepped inside the Scarlet Devil Mansion. The last time was a few years ago when the vampire was touting her homemade rocket and planned trip to the Moon. They really went all out in servicing their guests in a grand ball-like party. This time entering the mansion was nothing like the last. Everything is quiet, the mood is poor, and gloom hangs at every corner. Mokou herself saw what happened to Marisa and Patchouli, so she can guess what's happened to everyone else.

As for the immortal's purpose in coming here, she was told some rather peculiar things by the ancient. Somehow the difference between Patchouli and Meiling was the clue as to why Cirno is doing what she's doing. How that was to make sense she didn't know, but she might when she hears what's happened. As she's been with Daiyousei most of the day she's been out of the loop. She needs to find someone that can tell her the whole story.

Inside the mansion she mostly sees fairy maids running to and fro. Fairies make particularly poor sources of information, but no more so than rabbits. Seeing as no other youkai is currently present, she spots an intelligent looking one with dark hair and glasses. Actually, that was the one she lead to Eientei. This fairy was a good as any to ask questions.

"Miss Mokou!" the maid spots her before she can call out. "I heard you finally arrived."

"Yeah," she scratches the back of her head, "I had my go." There's a lot Mokou wants to know, but she's got to prioritize. "Do you know where Keine is?"

"I believe she's in surgery right now."

Immediately her heart-rate reaches it's max. Cirno's words from before repeat in her head,_ "only you are forever, not the things you love."_ Was this what she meant? That one day she'd have to watch Keine die, and Mokou herself has no option other than leaving her behind? The thought alone is terrifying.

Her voice in a panic, "Why is she in surgery? What happened?"

Startled, it takes the fairy a moment to realize why the sudden hostility, "No! That's not what I meant. She's assisting Dr. Yagokoro treating the injured. They were performing a surgery on Miss Meiling, but Miss Patchouli was brought in not too long ago."

It wasn't like Mokou to be so emotional, but ever since her exchange with Ancient Cirno, everything about her has been on edge. Her nerves are jittery, her thinking erratic, and she really wants to be around people at the moment. This is nothing like her normal self. This incident needs to hurry up and end, one way or the other, so she can once again be herself. After calming herself she was ready to try and speak with the fairy again.

Since Keine was busy, and she couldn't possibly aid with something as complex as surgery, there won't be an opportunity for a while that she'll get to speak with her friend. Another on her short list of acquaintances was still here, however.

"How's Dai-chan?"

The bespectacled fairy's expression tightens, no doubt still upset over the Daiyousei Doppelganger incident, "Last I heard she's still unconscious. We've placed her in the same room as when she was working here."

Nearby Mokou spots a youkai that doesn't seem injured or otherwise dismayed. She marches between fairies, organizes them, issuing orders, and otherwise steps up as a leader. It's the same youkai that caught Daiyousei when she was knocked unconscious by Cirno. Mokou doesn't know her.

After thanking the fairy, Mokou approaches the youkai, "Excuse me."

She turns to see the immortal, "Oh, Fujiwara no Mokou, I see you've backed off."

The disadvantages to being antisocial is that more people know you, and you know very few. Mokou might have seen this person before, but she's pretty sure they've never met.

"How are things going right now?" Mokou asked.

The youkai seems a little agitated with something, but she otherwise responds, "Not good. Basically everybody's hurt. We'd hate to give that monster a night to recover, but we don't have anyone we could send out right now that would do much to keep her active for very long. And even if we did give her a night to recover, in the morning I don't think very many of us could even stand on our own two feet." Someone calls out to her, apparently her name's Letty. "I'm sorry Mokou, but I've got to go."

It's understandable, they think they're facing the end of the world. That is, if what Cirno told Mokou herself was true. To understand the ancient's objective she needs to learn the differences between Meiling and Patchouli. Something she did learn, however, was that they were both in surgery, perhaps the greatest injured out of all of them. It might be many hours before not only her, but anyone learns of the fate of those two, so Mokou might as well look around and see what she can.

Wandering around, the immortal meets and speaks with many of the forces gathered at the vampire's mansion. Alice suffered a bad blow to the head and had a concussion, but after a night's sleep she should recover. Reisen and the half-ghost Youmu had been beaten pretty bad, and they'd be bedridden for days. Suwako was resting with her fellow goddess Kanako, both with their amazing rejuvenation might be up by tomorrow, but the latter was beaten six ways from Sunday. If she's up tomorrow she definitely won't be at full strength.

Eventually Mokou made her way to the terrace, where efforts to combat the ancient is still ongoing. The white wolf tengu Momiji kept a vigilant eye on the battlefield. She tells the newcomer everything that's asked. Apparently, shortly after Mokou left, the oni Suika entered the fray. Before that, however, something peculiar happened that perhaps Marisa and Mokou herself may have missed.

Patchouli ingested the Philosopher's stones to gain an unlimited access to power, a move which came at the price of her life. The youkai magician's power was undeniable while under the influence of the stones. However, once Cirno overcame the onslaught and that Royal Flare at the end, Patchouli suddenly lost that power and even her body returned to normal. It happened when the ancient pierced her hand through the magician's stomach. It was as if the power was sucked out of her. Momiji struggled hard to keep her eyes on the battlefield so she could witness all this.

This sounded very much like the threat Cirno made to Mokou herself, that she would drain out the Hourai Elixir and return her to being a mortal. Patchouli's physical body had fused with the immense magical properties of the Philosopher's Stones, but this power was taken from her when Cirno's hand sank into her flesh. Was there a reason for this? After all, would it be long before the power became too much for the magician to handle and her body would be destroyed? All the ancient had to do was wait until her life's flame burned it's final flicker. Why go through the trouble of openly confronting the magician when staying away would be safer and accomplish the same thing? That left to question what exactly Cirno was after. She said she wasn't trying to kill anyone, so couldn't it be said that she was trying to save Patchouli's life? After all, a surgery wouldn't be necessary if the stones were still in her; Patchouli would be dead. Cirno charged at the magician not to beat her, but to save her.

Was this one half of the riddle Cirno gave to her reasons? Patchouli nearly sacrificed herself by using a forbidden power. So what of Meiling?

Fortunately Momiji had watched that as well. Meiling had the courage to fight Cirno one-on-one. At first they were at a bit of a stalemate, but after a bit of taunting, some change underwent the Chinese Youkai. Her physical abilities multiplied several fold, but her rage made her undisciplined and she lost all resemblance of a martial artist. Ultimately she was out-maneuvered by the free-thinking Cirno.

An uncontrolled inner-power versus a self-destructive reliance on a unstable relic. Both of which caught the attention of the ancient. Did one of these reflect her ultimate goal? Which did she favor?

Mokou knew she couldn't face Cirno again. Not only did the threat of eternal death still her hand, but something that was difficult for her to put into words. It was an emotion she was somewhat familiar, but on the tip of her tongue and just out of reach. Aside from that, there's an intuition that she doesn't need to. That this incident will work itself out, one way or the other.


	34. Who has been Abscent

A hidden card

Darkness has overtaken the sky. Without the moon only little do the stars illuminate the pallid snow, making it difficult to see further than their own nose. Navigating in such blind conditions would have been foolish without the aid of a light, but two figures stand at odds regardless.

Oni are known to have lived underground for many centuries. Through adaptation they have acquired a keen sight and are able to traverse even in perfect blackness. Unfortunately this particular oni is the sole exception. Suika Ibuki has lived on the surface for many years, abandoning her subterranean kin for the joys and warmth of the surface. She does not completely share in their abilities. If she were to look up now she might not be able to see her own horns. Since her earlier sneak attack failed a long battle might be to her disadvantage. This might actually be bad.

Opposite of the oni stands the ancient, a tall woman of incredibly frightening power, but perhaps just as disadvantaged in a sightless night. For a while the two stare the other down, though just maybe they can't see far enough away to even distinguish their adversary. Regardless, neither have moved in minutes.

There's a pop in the distance, and something leaving a dark trail of smoke traced across the sky. When reaching it's highest altitude there's a quaint burst, and chemicals housed inside the device ignite. An intense flare illuminates the entire lake from on high, like it's own miniature Sun. Everything is visible to the treeline in the surrounding forest.

Cirno and Suika still face each other, neither having budged an inch. Cirno breaks the silence.

"A gift from a friend?"

"Actually, I have no idea."

In truth it was Nitori's, the technologically adept kappa's, doing. Still monitoring the battlefield with Momiji, the pair realized that nothing was getting done while everything was still blanketed in night. Not too long ago military war games had become a fad in the kappa society. So they could undergo exercises during the night, these flares had been developed. The fad had come and gone, and now all those supplies still remain. Nitori gathered about a hundred. These flares should be enough to keep the fight going until early morning.

A few breathes pass before they charge one another.

Suika throws her arm. Her chain, now seemingly longer, lashes at the tall ancient. Reversing her forefoot, Cirno's momentum forces her to spin. Bending down low, so low her nose is only a few centimeters from the ground, the whip passes between the small gap between her back and icicle wings. Without losing a bit of speed she continues to spin to her front and resumes her advance.

Ahead, Suika has taken to the gourd tied to her hip, drinking from it's contents for unknown effect. How she could do this while running and maintaining her balance only displays how practiced a maneuver this was. That or she was prepared to drink anywhere, anytime.

Removing the gourd from her mouth, Suika blows. Cirno is unexpectedly hit by some invisible force, a great blast of wind that knocks her off her feet. Little damage was taken, but it was unexpected.

Cirno twists her body and lands on her feet, sliding backwards from the blow's momentum. The oni is still charging forward, a slight grin from her successful attack. Leaping into the air, the small girl begins winding up her arm as if she's powering up to throw a pitch. Suddenly rocks and earth gravitate on her fist. In less than a second this move has resulted in a boulder larger than herself. Already wound up, the oni hurls it at the ancient with horrifying speed.

Diving to the side, Cirno is no less prepared for this than that sake-laden "kiss." Her hand digs into the snow, though "sink" may be a better word. Passing through the solid substance she suffers no more resistance than if it were merely water. From the snow she pulls a weapon made of ice. An extremely long handle is enough to cover the distance between the two. Cirno swings that awkwardly-sized weapon with unbelievable ease. Larger than it's target, the flat block of a head slams into Suika. Putting up a guard just before impact, after impact the weapon shatters instantly; either from hitting something harder than itself or the bazaar shape finally collapsed upon itself. Regardless, the petite oni is only slightly effected, practically neglecting whatever damage.

Another flare is fired as the light had began to fade.

Suika grins at Cirno's slightly confused stare. It's clear the ancient was expecting more of a reaction. She hesitates to move immediately as she's cycling through her brain on what to do next and what would be effective. Meanwhile the oni capitalizes on this pause by reaching for her gourd again. Taking a defensive position, Cirno prepares herself for anything that might happen. Except nothing happens. Only did the oni drink from her sake to drink. There was no deeper meaning behind her actions.

This too keeps Cirno's feet glued to the ground. The absurdity of Suika's actions are beginning to have an effect on her thinking.

In a familiar motion, Suika swings her arm around as if she were gathering rocks again. This time, however, nothing gathers upon her fist, but a red glow can be seen. At the moment of her fastest swing something escapes her grasp and is flung into the air. By all appearances it's a ball of fire much like Patchouli's. But this bomb isn't thrown nearly far enough to reach Cirno. All the same, she doesn't lower her guard.

Once this mortar hits the snow, it bursts in a haze as it melts the cold frozen surface. From it's splash a multitude more fireballs are born, all smaller then the original. They hit the snow in the same manner as their parent, creating a steam from the heat and birthing even smaller globs. Repeating a couple of times and eventually covering a vast area, Cirno recognizes Suika's ploy. She's creating a smokescreen. Sure enough the oni is lost from the ancient's sight.

Stomping on the ground, a column of ice as tall as Cirno rises next to her side. Dipping in her hands, she pulls from it an identical sword and shield as when she fought with the half-ghost swordswoman. It's clear she's approaching this situation cautiously.

The steam haze billows over the battlefield, blanketing everything within Cirno's spiky border. The ancient too is engulfed. Visibility is low within the haze, but it should be enough that she can react when the attack eventually comes.

Something slams against Cirno's head, nearly knocking her to the ground. Staying mindful, she blindly swings with her sword and angles herself to block in that direction with her shield. Nothing is there. Confused, Cirno has trouble believing Suika's quick enough to break through her guard and her reflexes. Something very odd is happening that masks the oni's approach.

Another blow lands on the back of her head, and Cirno falls completely forward. Her sword flies out of her hands while the shield tips over and falls on top of her. This is the second attack that's come completely unexpectedly. Such devilishness seems more than the oni is capable, but devilishness it is. It's impossible that this is the result of speed, so what tricks are being played that are escaping her notice?

Leaping to her feet, Cirno spins around and thrusts out her hands. This haze might be steam, bit it's still a part water, and a part water can be controlled by her magic. Being blown away, the cleared battlefield reveals nothing.

A few ideas pop into her mind as she notices there isn't a Suika. Maybe the oni has made herself invisible, aided by the smokescreen to mask something that would give her away. Now that the screen's been cleared, the secret to this trick should be revealed.

Moments pass, but nothing happens. Another flare is fired into the sky.

Have they come to a stalemate? Did the oni already run out of tricks and now had to think up a new strategy? If that were the case, Cirno couldn't give her the chance to do so relaxingly. It's time she goes on the offensive.

Just as Cirno readies her hand, she notices something odd. The steam is returning. Her power to effect water was nowhere near as strong as her control over ice, but for the area to be blanketed again was peculiar. It was clear that if she allowed this to happen she'd once again be victim to Suika's unguardable attacks, but this event seems too unnatural. At that moment Cirno has a strong opinion to the nature of her opponent's abilities.

Cirno's arms cross in front of her chest and she leans slightly forward. A grunt escapes her lips as if she's exerting a great amount of strength. The six icicles hovering just above her back are spinning as if they are the ones being taxed. It gets to a point where the woman screams, and those six icicles burst into massive wings. To Patchouli, Marisa, and Mokou this would be familiar, but this is Suika's first time seeing them.

Taking a wide stance with her feet, Cirno spins around again, this time swinging her, now vastly larger, six wings in the process. A great gale force is produced with her as it's center, blowing away the steam in a terrifying storm. Suddenly Suika's body materializes from the gas, tumbling around as she's knocked off her feet by the wind. To be able to change forms was one thing, but to attack while her density was less than a solid is a near unfair ability. Perhaps the only weakness of such a maneuver was that one was just as light as the particles they portrayed, and could easily be blown away by a strong wind. However, if Suika was completely without weight in that form, then she would be sailing into the great beyond right about now. That certainly is a peculiar ability.

Wasting not a moment, now that her opponent has been located Cirno dashes with the aid of her wings. A feat impossible on two legs, Cirno covers the distance in less then a heartbeat. Grabbing the oni by the collar, the high-speed ancient drags her across the ground. After crashing through the spiky barrier, Cirno pulls the oni high into the air, flying with a speed incapable of by but a small few.

In an instant she completely changes direction and rockets back down to earth. With the aid of gravity, for the briefest of moments, a mist washes over her as she breaks the sound barrier. At that time she releases Suika, who continues to fall even without someone dragging her. Her body crashes into Misty Lake, easily breaking through the layer of ice and into the water below. The splash her impact made is impressive, hundreds of meters high. Nearly all of the ice covering the lake is broken. Cirno manages to stop herself with her wings before she suffers the same fate. She now hovers over the lake as wild waves break the serene state it had when frozen.

Seconds pass like minutes, and the third flare shot into the sky dies. Unlike before, whoever is doing this doesn't immediately fire a fourth, perhaps dismayed that another of their fighters have been dispatched. It couldn't be helped. Against an unfair ability an overwhelming display of force was required. Perhaps this would scare off any potential newcomers.

Reluctantly another flare is fired, once again granting light over the darkness. The moment the scenery is revealed, a giant hand reaches out to Cirno. With no time to respond, the ancient is immediately seized in it's massive grasp. Cirno's head barely peeks out of the fist.

Rising from underneath the water is a colossal creature unthinkable in this world. Cirno would have been completely flabbergasted if not for the familiar horns that sprouted from the lake before the head. It was the same two horns and orange hair of the Oni, Suika, only greatly larger than before. Pulling herself from the freezing cold water is a girl that seems greatly amused by the beating she's received. Her grin is larger then perhaps the entire Scarlet Devil Mansion.

"You thought you had me," Suika's youthful voice booms in a deep tone, "didn't you?"

Wasting no time on pleasantries, the giant oni throws Cirno into the forest. That body made of water and ice crashes through the trees and deep into the earth. Timber and splinters fly into the air as much as the loose snow, creating an ugly dust pile of white and brown. Suika hops out of the water, causing an earthquake as her feet hit the ground. She shakes herself like a wet dog, but has less greater a chance drying herself than a canine of the same size. Suika sneezes.

"How can you stand to be so cold all the time?" she complains.

Obscured by the surrounding forest, the giant can see a tree being uprooted and tipped over. Sure enough it's hurled at her like a javelin. Batting it away with the back of her hand, it unexpectedly explodes in a hail of splinters. Suika knew the cause of the moment it came into contact with her fist; it'd been frozen. It shouldn't have been a problem, but all that debris sprays into her eyes, temporarily blinding the giant.

Taking this brief opportunity, Cirno soars into the clearing. However, she is not alone. Held within her grasp is a rock boulder so large she has to drag it behind her with two hands. Soaring directly at the oni's head, she pulls on the boulder and hurls it forward. Barely able to see, Suika doesn't recognize the threat placed before her. With perfect execution the large rock smashes right between the giant's eyes. Having her head snapped back, she stumbles, losses her balance, and lands on her backside. From the looks of it that didn't hurt, only did it succeed in making her angry, and buying time.

Cirno has returned to the lake, no longer frozen as the ice is broken and drifts about like bergs. The ancient's aim is a large clearing of water. Her feet land upon the liquid as if it were a platform. Standing upon the water she balls her right hand into a fist, closing her eyes as if drawing in power. Like this she stays for a while.

Suika has finished wiping her eyes and can see again. Frantically searching, she finds the ancient back at the lake. Scrambling to her feet, the oni gives pursuit while her body is recklessly toppling trees underfoot. No more than a few bounds should it be before the distance is covered.

Whatever preparations were being made, Cirno has finished. Rising that fist into the air, she slams it onto the water. At the point of impact, a massive eruption of water spouts into the sky. As if a devastating bomb as been detonated underwater, this geyser blows into the high heavens, higher than the oni is tall. Misty Lake's water level recedes, much of it's body being fed into this display. Whatever the ancient's got planned, it's impressive enough to halt Suika's progress.

When the geyser falls victim to gravity, something odd is happening to the water. It's doesn't fall straight down, but trickles outward in all directions as if it were a stream on a mountainside. Something is underneath all that water.

It takes a few moments for that entire thing to come into view. Where nothing once resided, a creature of ice has been born in that empty space. Crystalline in color, it's a form that's awfully familiar. Taking it's master's shape, it's a large humanoid that mimicked Cirno's body, minus clothes, hair, and wings. Still in the position as when she punched the water, Cirno rises to her feet. Standing as tall on water as Suika does on land, the ancient is now a match for the ability of the oni that had yet to be matched.

The two giants stare at one another, Cirno's avatar displaying no expression, but Suika's clearly uneasy. This isn't going as expected. Little credence did she give to Reimu's warning. A creature as powerful as this shouldn't exist. Not that this golem or armor or whatever it was is something beyond the abilities of any other, but Cirno has been fighting nonstop for over seven hours. How in the world can she keep going like this and _still_ have that much power remaining? It's beyond comprehension!

Cirno initiates the first move, making up for the time she was lost in the haze. Her long legs brings her within arm's reach in an instant. Such speed from this large a creature surprises the equally large Suika, but not so much though that she can't avoid the overhead cross.

The punch passes above her, in between her horns. Suika goes down low and tries to tackle. Cirno takes rapid steps back and keeps from being knocked over. While the oni is at her waist trying to push her to the ground, before being completely overcome, the ancient buries her knee into the girl's stomach. Suika strength buckles under the blow. Able to control their momentum, Cirno shifts her weight and pulls the two of them sideways. After a few steps Suika digs her feet into the ground and keeps from being led any further, that is until another knee finds her ribcage. At that point she completely succumbs to Cirno's strength.

Pulling as she turns, Cirno tosses the oni. Only being stumbled a few paces, Suika keeps upright and steady. Unfortunately the ancient is already upon her. Leading with a kick to the chin, the horned-girl barely manages to swing her head to the side and avoid the blow. Unfortunately the same can't be said when her leg snaps back down. Cirno's ankle catches just above Suika's brow. Her head snapping forward, blood sprays to the ground and the oni is completely stunned. Cirno follows through with the same heavy overhead blow as before, this time connecting straight upon the jaw. As expected of a being so tall, the punch is so powerful it sends the oni to the ground, slipping into the Misty Lake and rolling a bit inward.

Down but not out, Suika is quick to get to her knees, but she lacks the strength to rise to her feet. Not giving her the opportunity, Cirno grabs her by a horn, lifts her up, and knees her in the chin. The blow rocks the giant oni. Somehow she manages to plant her feet on the ground, but there's absolutely no will within them. Wobbling greatly, they barely keep herself erect, let alone allowing her to dodge. Cirno finishes things off with a powerful headbutt landing perfectly over her nose. Blood flows through Suika's nostrils as she falls straight to the floor. A drop that immediate and any onlooker would know that this fight is over.

The ice giant's chest rises and lowers as if it's at a loss of breath. Perhaps this creature is merely mimicking the ancient within. Cirno seems haggard, this particular fight taking it's toll on her. Her opponent, the horned oni, lies on her back beneath the ancient. Suika's breathing, but she's otherwise inactive. It's possible she's unconscious, but she's out of the fight regardless. Her battle is lost.

Suddenly the water of Misty Lake begins to glow in a dull purple hue. Startled, the giant ice avatar of Cirno frantically searches left and right. Without warning, the body of ice instantly turns to water, raining down on Misty Lake in a waterfall. Cirno seems as surprised as any other, both seemingly startled and maybe even scared. She looks over her own body as if she doesn't recognize what she's looking at. Next, her arms suddenly cling to her side like she's been lassoed by an invisible rope. By all intensive purposes it appears as if she's been captured, but aside from the glowing water, there's nothing which could do so. That is, until a figure emerges from behind a tree near the lake's shore.

A teenager in appearance, it's a young woman with jet black hair. While not completely traditional, she gowned in a red and white Japanese Priestess, or _Miko_, outfit. Everyone in Gensokyo would recognize this as the Hakurei descendant, Reimu.

Chanting her sutra, she paces forward onto the lake. Like Cirno had done before, she walks on water. From all borders of the shore, o-fuda talismans rise from their hidden spots underneath the snow. Hundreds, if not thousands, of talismans rise into the air, each giving a faint red glow. They match Cirno in elevation, then circle around her (some rows moving in the opposite direction). Setting upon a certain configuration, they lock into place and their glow greatly intensifies. Along the outermost border a magic circle is being drawn. Once it's complete, Reimu shouts,

"Divine Arts, Demon Binding Circle!"

As Cirno at it's core, a pillar of light is shot into the heavens. Suddenly the lake is engulfed in a giant storm, devastating winds blow, water rips about, and if any other present were nearby they'd be knocked off their feet. Reimu, however, stands firm against this maelstrom. As it's her creation, she is unaffected by the storm.

Reimu's expression displays concern. Surely such a grand spell and it's perfect execution couldn't leave room for dismay, yet something seems to be awry. This spell was specifically designed to bind the large one currently taking a nap. Powerful enough to halt the advance of an oni, how effective would it be against one who just overpowered one of their greatest specimens?

From within the pillar of light, Cirno struggles to raise her right hand. It is but a small gesture, but to do even this much was a great achievement. Even with this movement the spell shouldn't be broken.

"It's hard to believe all this was caused by just a little ice fairy."

Suddenly next to Cirno, a blonde woman sits as if she were simply enjoying the view of a full moon. Underneath her bottom is a tear in the sky; something horrible lurking within. Her demeanor is as calm and as friendly as it could be with her closest friends. That quaint smile is the same that sent Sanae Kochiya in a tizzy back in the outside world. Unmistakeably, it's Yukari Yakumo.

Cirno is too focused on her struggle, thus not responding.

"What is it you're trying to do?" Yukari asks. "You're strong, very, but even you must know you're caught. Oh well, I wouldn't expect any less from someone who's destroyed the Earth five times over. Stubborn until the very end."

"Yukari!" screams the Hakurei priest.

"Oh, it looks like our conversation time as come to an end, just as you have come to an end. I'm sorry, but we'll never have the chance to talk again."

A sudden blast pushes Yukari back. Perhaps realizing that Yukari's forecast was accurate, an immense surge of magic is released by the ancient. Cirno's body glows: her skin a pale white, hair and eyes a bright blue. Her figure seems free of the binds of Reimu's seal, but tall woman's attention is focused elsewhere. An outstretched hand points to a rather large ice collection upon the water. From it a large, perfectly square, block emerges. It soars towards Cirno at dazzling speeds.

Yukari can't just sit here and watch this happen. Whatever Cirno is planning, it can't be good. The gap youkai's hands come together in front of her chest. Next to Cirno's side, the sky tears open. From deep within tear, a massive yellow eye opens, it's focus squarely upon the ancient. Whatever this creature may be, it surely can't be human. This monster is something beyond this Earth, in all of it's previous incarnations. This is the monster of the boundary.

Cirno's body is being pulled inside. As she sinks into the gap, her hand still reaches for the ice block that's heading her way. Her left arm, shoulders, the back of her head, her face, her right arm; all sink in between boundaries. All that remains is her right hand. The very tips of her fingers.

Reimu's o-fudas suddenly explode, bursting in flame. The priestess is knocked to the water as if she just suffered a sucker punch. Cirno's body, up to her waist, leaps out of the tear. Almost immediately do hands of perfect darkness, without shape or definite form, shoot from the tear and latch onto the ancient. Her body sinks in again, but that block of ice has reached Cirno's grasp. Taking the block into her grasp, she pulls herself backwards and dives into the boundary, large ice-block and all. The tear closes afterwords.

For a moment there is nothing. Yukari, hair slightly disheveled, continues to stare at empty space. Expression alarmed, clearly she thought things would have been easier than that. She stares as if expecting something, something she otherwise would have known impossible. Breaking free of Reimu's seal and pulling herself even halfway out of the boundary were both impossible. It's as if she's just spotted the rarest species of phenomenon in the entire universe. Her mind doesn't comprehend what her eyes just witnessed.

"Is it over?" Reimu has come to Yukari's side.

Waiting for her pulse rate to calm, she tells her, "Yeah. It's impossible to escape from between worlds, and eventually the monsters within the boundary will rip her to pieces."

Those that dwell within the boundary are creatures without definition. They're entities born from the deepest pit of the consciousness, human and otherwise. Putting it mildly, they are creatures born from nightmares, fear. Without corporeal bodies, or even definable attributes, it's impossible to fight against entities of thought, conscious and otherwise. Capable of rendering anything unto oblivion, they do exactly that to any lost soul who happens between worlds where they do not belong. Yukari is amongst their kin, and while she hasn't tamed them, neither are they cannibals. Only she is allowed to traverse between worlds without upsetting their order, and if she says that even the Ancient Cirno couldn't possibly win, then that is no exaggeration.

"There's going to be a lot to-"

Reimu is interrupted when blood sprays into her face. In a state of shock, she doesn't recognize what's in front of her. Neither can Yukari, who's unshakable presence is left in taters. Looking down, she sees something protruding from just above her breast. It's sharp and pointed like a spear, but it crackles like lightning and is red in color.

Shortly before Yukari sealed herself within the boundary, she'd seen this very same spear thrown at her before. While at the time she was outside this world, it's owner threw it at her as if it were possible for the projectile to break within the boundary. Ultimately the attack missed, but for what reason? Because the attacker and target were in different worlds, or because the attacker missed on purpose? If she was actually intended to harm instead of just getting someone's attention, then could it have broken into the boundary and harmed Yukari? Then is it doing so now that it's clearly focused on injuring the youkai?

The spear is pulled upward, slicing through Yukari's collarbone. Blood sprays in an arch from the wound, covering much of Reimu's body in crimson. Behind the youkai, the handle of the spear appears from a tear in the sky. This spear is literally in both worlds. The upward motion of the thrust has torn the tear even larger, and a hand can be seen holding the crackling red spear.

Distracted with the pain and near dismemberment, Yukari can do nothing against the hand that leaps from within the boundary. Grabbing Yukari by the collar, it unceremoniously pulls her inside. After the gap youkai is inside, the tear closes, leaving Hakurei Reimu completely alone.

Her resolve

Yukari is tossed backwards from the figure that pulled her into this world. Unsurprisingly it's Cirno, that large block of ice next to her side. Held in her grasp is the crackling spear of energy; a weapon that isn't her's. After Yukari regains herself, hand pressed against the critical wound to stop the bleeding, she confronts the ancient.

"_That_ doesn't belong to you," she accuses. "I think it's in bad taste to desecrate the dead and take their things."

"I wonder if the same could be said about this one right here," Cirno pats on the block of ice. "I knew the one who original wielded this weapon, and it certainly wasn't her."

The moment Yukari recognized the spear, she came to understand why Cirno seemed so hell-bent on retrieving that block of ice. While it was difficult to tell, buried underneath all that frozen water lay a figure. That person, while it can't be seen clearly enough to be identified, must have been the previous owner of the spear. The spear is Gungnir. Inside the ice is Remilia Scarlet.

"I'm sorry for being so rude and ignoring you," Cirno suddenly apologizes. "You were speaking to me before, but I was too preoccupied to respond. Now we have plenty of time to talk."

Surrounding the pair is a perfect darkness, yet the two of them are as perfectly visible as during the day. It is but one of the unexplained aspects of the boundary. In the distance (it's impossible to tell how far) hundreds of thousands of eyes spy on their conversation. Yukari has seen people go insane from just being underneath their gaze, but Cirno doesn't seem to mind. In fact it doesn't feel unnatural to her at all. Inside the boundary, where Yukari's powers are at their strongest, Cirno carries herself as if she were merely a guest, a person who would stay no longer then she intended and simply leave. That shouldn't be possible.

Whatever the case, Yukari can feel the monsters of the boundary take notice of the intruder. It seems as if they are cautious and are not attacking immediately, but given enough time and they will approach. At that point it will be over for the ancient. If Cirno wishes to waste her precious time on conversation, then that's no skin off Yukari's back. It would also give her time to recover.

"How did you manage to break through the boundary with Gungnir?" Yukari was genuinely curious.

Cirno explains, "Gungnir is said to be able to always hit it's mark. That doesn't mean it has perfect accuracy, it won't change direction mid-flight, but it will bypass any barriers in it's way. Say I wanted to pierce a person's heart. If it's a naked man it will cleave through his skin. If he's wearing armor it will pierce thought the armor. If it's a dragon, it's tough, near impenetrable scales will offer no resistance. If it's a youkai residing in another world, it will break though the boundary and traverse over worlds. I was able to do it because you were standing right next to the spot where I was dragged in. Since my own personal accuracy is a factor in hitting you, since you were so close I didn't even need to throw it. If you suddenly decided to run to the mansion after trapping me, I probably would have never been able to hit you. Of course I've long since known of this weapon's properties, so I didn't give you the chance."

From Yukari's perspective, Cirno seems to be enjoying herself. As the monsters approach, she doesn't give the slightest care. It's starting to aggravate the gap youkai.

"So how exactly did you get that spear? Rip it off her corpse?"

As is used by the vampire, Gungir would be thrown haphazardly, hit or miss. Without having to actually retrieve the weapon, it would immediately materialize in her hand once summoned again. As the vampire never really had physical possession of the legendary weapon of the gods, it shouldn't have been possible for Cirno to carry it now. Answering this question now would be like revealing one of her greatest secrets. The ancient doesn't have the slightest obligation to do so.

"I simply borrowed it," Cirno tells her, not actually answering her question.

The gap monsters are drawing closer, losing their caution and hesitation.

"I'm somewhat disappointed, Yukumo Yukari. You have the chance to ask me anything you want, and all you ask is about weapons? What an absolutely boring topic."

"Oh, and what should I ask you?" Yukari could care less about learning anything from Cirno, she merely wants to keep the conversation going.

"Well, I'm a being that's existed since this planet's creation. I knew this Earth was round when you still thought it was carried on a turtle's back. I've seen civilizations come and go, species rise and fall into extinction. Maybe you could ask me something about that. Or maybe you could ask how I can still be confident when you basically have a knife to my throat."

Yukari doesn't like that last suggestion.

"You think I didn't know about the monster of the abyss? You think I haven't been here before? The boundary between worlds has always exited. You didn't actually think _you_ created all this, did you? Let me ask you, did you even know you had a predecessor?"

Yukari doesn't say anything.

"Then I guess you are younger than 2200 years old, when I nearly eradicated all of the monster of the abyss."

"Impossible!"

"I thought so too," the ancient answers coolly. "It's not without reason that all things fear the dark, and the fear itself only makes the darkness stronger. As the personification of fear itself, you'd think the monsters from with the boundary, the monsters of the abyss, would be invincible. But then a dear human friend of my, a very peculiar, brilliant, and funny man by the name of Archimedes, showed me something very interesting when his home of Syracuse was being sieged."

Suddenly, without reason, an intense force is born in the sky. Blinding all those within reach, the monsters of the boundary scream when they're subjected to something they've never known before; light. All those thousands of eyes close and otherwise disappear. As they are revealed, the monster of the abyss appear as nothing more then smoke, scattering as their darkness is destroyed.

"They called it, 'Burning Glass,' or as Diocles put it, a 'Parabolic Mirror.'" Cirno paces around as even Yukari can't keep herself from shielding her eyes. "See, my friend took hundreds of curved mirrors and used them to set fire to the ships of Roman Empire. I thought to myself, 'I can do this too. While it might not work as well, if I make hundreds, thousands, millions, billions of parabolic mirrors made of ice, it should have a similar effect. The creatures of the darkness have always been known to be weak against light, so what if I bring light to the world of darkness?' After what you see now, you can guess the results. The gleam of my hair alone is intensified a million fold and blinds as bright as the sun."

"Phantasm," Yukari screams, "First Catagory Perpetual Motion Device!"

Nothing happens.

"Bounded Field, Boundary of Life and Death!"

Nothing.

"Danmaku Bounded Field!"

Yukari's eyes squint at the intense light, and barely is she able to even glimpse at the ancient. Cirno stands before her, with her arms resting on her hips, a grin on her face, and her blue eyes burning brightly, brighter than even her artificial daylight.

"We are very alike, you and I," Cirno tells Yukari. "No mater where are bodies may be, our powers are housed only in a certain place. You are most powerful when you are closer to it, when you are within the boundary. However, when trapping me here you overlooked one important fact. While your powers are strongest here, your weakness are also most vulnerable. If I completely subject the boundary to it's weakness, what does that say of you? You completely lose your power."

Cirno approaches, and Yukari backs away. This wasn't possible! For someone like her to be stripped completely powerless, there was no way she'd allow this to happen! There must be something she can do!

Cirno quickens her pace, drops Gungnir and it fades into nothingness, and cracks her knuckles, "Grit your teeth demon."

* * *

_FYI, while I was originally writing this chapter, chapter 13 of Touhou Ibarakasen Wild And Horned Hermit was released. I'd already planned on the kappa using military technology, but after reading the chapter I decided to incorporate the War Games bit. Kinda funny, actually. Wild and Horned Hermit isn't really linked with my Legend of the Strongest, but it's still a fun read. And it's canon, so it's required that we all read it regardless.  
_

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	35. The Stick

The awaited moment

As long as he has opposable thumbs, he's able to operate the control stick. After preparing and dining in another's kitchen, they turned to relaxing on the Moriya's sofa and indulging in their entertainment center. To Hati's surprise, they had somehow managed to get a connection to the internet. Not bothering to figure out how that was possible, Okuu and an Okuu-shaped wolf formed a team and played online. The hell raven is familiar with this first person shooter and can aptly control her character even with the control rod covering one of her arms, so she's probably a regular guest at this "shrine."

What sounds like thunder strikes in the distance. At first it causes only a glance through the window from Hati and he turns back to the game. After thinking about it for a moment, he drops the controller, rises to his feet, and rushes outside.

"Hati?" Okuu shouts in concern, having trouble tearing herself away from the screen.

Once he's subject to the outside world, he sees a clear sky full of stars. Without clouds thunder can't sound. That roar wasn't the result of a lightning strike. Only one thing could this be, the moment for which he'd been waiting.

"Hati?" Okuu joins him outside. "What's wrong? You had a good kill-streak going."

There's a long pause. The grin on his face growing by the second.

From their vantage point on the side of the mountain, the pair can see this:

Centered on the human village, stretching as far as the base of Youkai Mountain, to the Forest of Magic, to the Hakurei Shrine, a large glowing symbol: a ying-yang orb in the center, four at the corners marking North, South, East, and West; is etched in the ground. On the far ends of Gensokyo, the exact border of Gensokyo, a circle who's edges spray magical energy into the sky. Any who was alive and present about 130 years ago would recognizes this seal, the seal made during the creation of the Hakurei Border, the day the Dragon recognizes this land of Fantasy and Illusion.

It was the birth of this marvelous land, and now it's the end.

What seems like an explosion occurs; a massive blast that has the power to knock people off their feet. Maybe it's not as much as a blast, a detonation with a clear center, but a retreat, a retrieval. It's like everything is being pulled away, ripped from it's rightful place by some cruel outside force. Through this Hati smiles.

"What's happening?" Okuu shouts as she braces herself against the wind.

The symbol etched into the very core of Gensokyo flickers, the energy that was supporting seemingly slipping away. At the last possible moment, before the light completely fades, the crest shatters, breaking into pieces and fragmenting. Then it's gone.

"The boundary is gone," Hati says less to Okuu than he does himself. "The Gensokyo Boundary has been destroyed."

"What? How is-"

"Misty Lake!" Hati shouts, jarring the hell raven with whom he's been so cozy. Turning and facing her directly, "The source of this incedent is at Misty Lake! You need to get there right away!"

Okuu is confused, "What? Misty Lake? How do you-"

"Don't argue with me! You need to get there as quickly as possible! After this point it's going to be a blood bath!"

It was surreal to Okuu, seeing herself yelling at her, doing so in her own voice. It's difficult to remember that the person whom is her reflection is not her, but another altogether. It's an illusion, but it's damn effective. Okuu might be confusing his orders for her own thoughts.

"Alright," she says offering no objection. "I know the way, I can be there in no time."

Flapping her jet black wings, she takes to the skies and heads in the direction of the lake, leaving her doppelganger by himself.

"She can still fly," Hati says to himself.

Looking at his own hand, his image of Utsuho Reiuji flickers. Magic is being drained from Gensokyo, and not after long will completely disappear. Even his own illusion is becoming more difficult to maintain. However, his stay in Gensokyo hasn't been long and his magic still works in the outside world, to which they are now subjected. It's like being hit by a change in tide. He's survived in much rougher waters, so with the calm that was Gensokyo removed, it'll only take time to once again adjust. To others it will not be a smooth transition, if they survive the process at all. It'll be hardest on those who've been here the longest.

But such disaster is a requisite, not his goal. Now an opportunity has presented itself and he must move.

Try as he might, his fake wings won't grant him flight. It was as expected, but it's amazing that the real Okuu didn't seem effected at all. Whatever the cause for that, he must focus on himself right now. Hati's legs were still as good as ever, so he makes use of them. While he might have been faster on four legs, two is still enough to get him where he needs to be in this body. He heads towards the peak of the mountain.

On his way, he passes by other youkai. Not the lesser monsters that had fled underground, but the stronger creatures which possessed humanoid bodies. Near a lake he passed the kappa. They were stumbling out of the water as if they'd been drowning, clutching to the earth and gasping for air. Some of them were crying, as if they'd lost the very essence that made them themselves. Hati looks away. It's a necessary sacrifice, and it's only temporary. Hopefully. His plan has worked this far, so hopefully his deceptions and preparations will hold until the end.

Towards the summit lived the tengu, crows and wolves that seems to lack something that made them either. Hati himself is a variation of a wolf, but the tengu had humanoid forms and carried themselves as much. It's almost disgusting to him. Here they lay helpless, barely able to support their own weight, on their knees or laying on the ground. He doubt they possess the strength to rise their heads and even look at Okuu (him). Hati passes this colony without the same remorse as he did the kappa.

Youkai Mountain was once a volcano. Currently dormant, steam rises from the vent despite a lack of magma. A peculiar sight, it might getting close to being active again, but seeing as this was Gensokyo, Hati realizes it would be pointless to try and make sense of the situation.

At the summit, the highest point in Gensokyo, he searches the sky. He seeks the moon, which is a difficult task when it's Dark Side completely faces the Earth. It takes a while, but once he notices an area without stars where there should be some, he knows he's located his target.

Everything was for this moment.

Hati howls at the moon.

And it's done. His action just then will start a chain of events that will lead him to his ultimate goal. At this moment, he doesn't know if what he's done was right or wrong, if he's really a step closer or he's doomed them all, but it's over. The next move isn't his, and he can only wait and hope for the results.

Now that's he's done what he needs to do, it's time to do what he wants to do. Hati turns around and runs down the mountain.

At it's darkest

Reimu clutches her side while she's been forced to a knee, panting heavily while a trickle of blood drips from the corner of her mouth. Before her is the body of Yukari and the Ancient Cirno who stands as tall and proud as ever.

Only minutes before a fragment of sky shattered and an unconscious Yukari was hurled through. Moments later Cirno stepped through followed by an odd chunk of ice, making a chump of, arguably, one of the strongest youkai in Gensokyo. At that point the Hakurei Miko could feel a sudden change undertake the Gensokyo Boundary. Rapidly it weakened, and then it broke.

In a rage Reimu tried to bring justice to the perpetrator, but she found herself suddenly weakened. Her more complicated spells were unavailable, but her basic miko powers were still intact. Essentially she's been dismembered, as if she's just lost her right hand. Even with only her left could she fight, but at half-efficiency she's proven no match against the ancient. Cirno frankly looked disappointed and bored.

"Is this it for this world?" she might have asked Reimu, but clearly she didn't care for her answer.

It seems that she's been given the opportunity to speak, but Reimu has nothing to say. Merely does she focus on recovering so that she might possibly strike back.

"I had higher hopes of this era," Cirno speaks to herself regardless. "It seems only disappointment awaits in this world."

Doubling her grip on her gohei (wooden wand), she leaps forward. Her body moves fast, the arc of her attack wide, and it's blocked by an immediate yet disinterested block. Not bothering to counter, Reimu is allowed to drop to her feet and attempt a low sweeping kick. Cirno raises one of her long legs and blocks the sweep with her own foot. Her attack suddenly being stopped, Reimu's tempo is shaken and it takes her a few breaths to recuperate. The ancient doesn't capitalize on this opportunity. Back on her feet, the miko tries to land a blow on her opponent's midsection, but is stopped short when Cirno grabs her by the wrist. Instead of attacking she merely throws the young woman back, nearly like one might do against a dirty washrag.

After regaining her footing, Reimu has to pause. While not at the level of someone like Meiling, the Hakurei Miko has studied a style of martial arts. Against many types of youaki it's proven effective. However, Cirno doesn't even bat an eyelash against such attacks. Never before in her life has she felt this powerless, and worse yet, she knows that she might be this world's last hope. How in the world can she fail this badly when it matters the most?

Seeing the state of her current opponent, Cirno turns away and says, "The boundary that surrounds this land is gone, but something feels odd. The land is being drained of it's power."

"Of course!" Reimu yells, frustrated for some reason. "That border was erected to protect the beings inside!"

"But that's unnatural," Cirno immediately responds. "A lot of magical creatures are gathered here. Their density is absurdly high."

"Of course it is! If they tried to stay in the outside world they'd die!"

"Birth and death are the order of the world. Trying to live in perpetuity is an affront to the very nature of the world."

"You're one to talk."

"I simply _am_. I never had any desire to live as long as I have, nor have I ever done anything to prolong my life, unnaturally or otherwise. Surely I too will reach my end, I just haven't, yet. But back to the point, the need for a boundary for Gensokyo doesn't make sense. How can the world become unsuitable for the presence of what you consider magic?"

Reimu was amazed, "Don't you know what's been happening in this world lately?"

"I've watched the world through the ice fairy, but I haven't experienced it for myself. I've only been asleep for 1500 years. How much could the world have possibly changed in that short amount of time?"

"You can't-"

Both their heads snap to something they noticed at the exact same time. Cirno expands her wings and quickly vacates, while Reimu rushes to the side of Yukari and shields her. An orb as white and as bright as the sun strikes where they once stood, decimating the surroundings with a heat that burns even what wasn't hit. Much of the snow melts and the once frozen ground and vegetation has caught fire.

Facing the newest intruder, Cirno's glare is as serious and sharp as it's ever been. Before her is a raven girl: wings of the darkest night, wild black hair, and some of the oddest attachments on her limbs. Especially ominous is the red "eye" on the center of her chest.

"Are you the one who's causing all this?" the raven girl accuses.

Cirno retains her silence for a moment. Before she speaks, her body glows from an influx of magical energy.

"What the hell are you?"

The young woman's shoulders shiver as she's offended, "That's mean! Is that how you talk to someone you meet for the first time, you rude woman? I'm Utsuho Reiuji!"

Cirno meticulously observes the hell raven.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Just who are you?"

"Cirno."

Surprised by the announcement, Okuu can barely believe it, "Cirno? Is that really you? I can't-"

An ice dragon erupts from the lake, bursting with such speed it's figure is impossible to observe. In a flash it's leapt into air and pounced upon Okuu's position, except not exactly on the raven. It's body continues to race, but at a point it disappears and blindly rushes into oblivion. Before the deadly attack could claim it's victim, the Searing Divine Flame turned and fired her "cannon" at the frozen conjuration. Just one of those blinding white orbs was enough to completely neutralize the very same dragon that soundly defeated Suwako's Mishaguji.

As it was merely a test, Cirno doesn't immediately ready another attack. Okuu, on the other hand, is livid by the sudden hostility.

"What was that for? That scared the heck out of me!"

Not responding to those remarks, Cirno instead, "You foul affront to the natural order of this world. Just what is this perversion of magic you possess?"

Okuu's expression displays confusion, but her face becomes red and her wings beat rapidly, "I don't know what you just said, but you called me a bad name, didn't you? And my power is not perverted! It's Nuclear Fusion!"

A dark shadow is cast under Cirno's glare. The flares have ceased, but the fires cause by Okuu's use of magic is more then enough to lighten the lake.

"Nuclear Fusion?" she mumbles, completely unknowing of the word. "Your power is a mockery of the great stars in the sky. A corruption such as yours must be erased from this world!"

Bottom of the 9th

Watching the fight for the fate of the world in it's entirety, she'd continued to struggle to do so as the loss of the Gensokyo Boundary drains her life away. A white wolf tengu stronger than most, Momiji Inubashiri finally steps away from her perch. Unlike her kin still on Youkai Mountain, she not only retains the power to stand, but she can walk as well. However, her footsteps are heavy and slow, strength draining from her every second she's exposed to the outside world. What was protecting her all her life, as well as many like her, is now gone. Her existence now slips as the influence of a world which has traded magic for technology takes greater hold of her. Knowing she can't survive in such a world, only a matter of time is it until she reaches her end. Until that time, she must do what she can.

If only Mokou was still in her company, but she left awhile ago to be at the side of that tall fairy.

Nitori, who hasn't been far from her side this entire time, remains stationary at the radio where she was coordinating movements with the kappa. Slumped over and leaning in her seat, Nitori doesn't seem to be faring well. Her kin must be feeling the effects the same, barely able to move. They won't be of any further use. Momiji continues past the kappa into the mansion.

Traveling through the long halls of the mansion, the wolf youkai passes by numerous fairies. No longer do they float as they flutter about with their wings, but are on their own two legs as they walk. It looks like they've just been pulled from a battlefield. Some are laid out on the ground, some are lending a shoulder to a companion as they walk, and others seem to be decently healthy. The loss of the boundary effects others differently. It's good that not everybody was as bad as Momiji herself who feels like the walking dead. It'd be great if as many could survive this as possible.

Making her way into the main hall was a slow and painful process. Every step was weaker than the last and her body felt heavier with each passing second. She doesn't know how much longer she can remain conscious. There is a report she has to deliver. As the sole observer of the battle she's the only one who knows the state of things. Anybody who's able must know what she knows. The fate of the very world may depend on it.

Heading into the direction of the kitchen, which has been turned into a medical ward, she passes many youkai that's been called here by Patchouli. Alice, who'd surrendered her humanity in pursuit of magic, leans against a wall clutching her chest. Her injuries weren't particularly bad, but the loss of the boundary is effecting her greatly. The same could be said for Letty, but a greater strength resides in her then one would expect. Poor Lily White lies on the ground, perhaps unconscious.

Reisen had been knocked out of it for a while, but Tewi doesn't seem too terribly effected. But can this rabbit make much of a difference? She turns and watches in concern as the white wolf passes her by. Momiji might only have the strength to relay her message once, and she must do so to a person who can actually act on the information she carries.

Kanako the goddess was already on the road to recovery, but she's taken an unexpected blow by the loss of the barrier. As she was already injured, this new development hurts her perhaps more than it should have. She's survived in the outside world much longer than perhaps any other god, but these bad circumstances have left her unsuitable for combat. Even worse, Suwako, who's injuries were lighter, lies on the ground gasping as if she were chocking. Before arriving in Gensokyo the Suwa Goddess was already on death's door, and now that she's no longer under the boundary's protection she's again exposed to the force that nearly ended her existence. If this situation isn't reversed soon the outside world may finally finish the job.

Making it into the kitchen, Momiji finds Marisa. The human doesn't suffer from the effects of the outside world. Her ankle was injured and she walks with a limp, but otherwise she's healthy. But what of her magic? How far will her abilities carry her in this new environment? Well, if there was anyone for the wolf to give her report to, it might as well be Marisa.

Turning to the magician who worriedly awaits for an update on her gravely injured friend, Momiji hobbles over to her. Just as Marisa notices the approaching white wolf tengu, the door to the innermost kitchen opens. Revealed is the Doctor of Eientei, latex gloves covered in blood and a mask over her face.

"What the hell is going on?" she shouts in a panic. "All of a sudden Keine collapsed!"

That she had to ask was odd. With how vital the Gensokyo Boundary is for everyone within, the moment it went down they should have instinctively known what had happened. Eirin didn't seem to have a clue. But, she is a Lunarian, a race from the moon. If she can't feel the sudden difference in Gensokyo, then perhaps she didn't rely on the boundary as the others had. She might still possess her full power!

Marisa jumps to her feet as the wolf does her contemplation. Greatly worried about her friend, the magician turns her full attention to the doctor.

"The boundary went down, but forget that! How's Patchy?"

Flicking her head inside, "She's fine. I just finished the stitching. Honestly, she wasn't that bad off in the first place."

"Not that bad? Patchy nearly had her guts ripped out by that monster!"

Eirin shakes her head, "No, she saved her life. That magician ingested the Philosopher's Stone, right? What Cirno did was rip them out of her. All that blood was from a few wounds no bigger then a 500 yen coin in her stomach. All _I_ had to do was clean up the blood and stitch up the openings. It really wasn't that bad. It would have taken her a very long time to bleed to death"

Falling to her knees, Marisa starts to sob.

They're ignoring Momiji. This was bad. Nearly all of her strength has left her and she feels herself fluttering between consciousness. She reaches out to them, but suddenly her legs feel as sturdy as twigs, and she falls to the ground.

Finally catching their notice, Marisa and Eirin rush to her side.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

They're trying to yell something at her, but the wolf can no longer hear. Everything was starting to fade into nothingness. Unknown if she had to strength to actually do so, she delivers her message,

"Don't worry about me. Listen, that raven, Okuu, appeared. Cirno is threatened by her power. Okuu is our best shot at taking out Cirno, but the raven can't do it alone. We need to support her with everything we've got left. Everything."

The light leaves Momiji's eyes.


	36. Trump

Trump

Dragons rise from the lake at a tremendous rate. Okuu can only shoot down a couple of them with her power over Nuclear Fusion, and the rest she has to dodge. They come at her so rapidly that she can't even focus on the ancient, who she's since lost sight of. If there was an opening the raven would take it, but this attack is so ruthless she can't even see a path to approach. It might be soon for her to release the big guns.

"Warning: Explosion Sign, Peta Flare!"

Explosions rock the sky. In a wide range multiple detonation occur before the aim of her "3rd Leg." Like those flares from before, they start as ultra-hot balls of fire, but as they travel outward they rapidly shrink in size. This decimates the army of dragons, if not destroying them completely by blowing them to bits. It's a good way to clear a field if you don't care about collateral damage.

Cirno is nowhere to be found. However, as from where the dragons were coming, she was looking down. Turning skyward, she's just in time to see the blue devil racing towards her.

A high speed slash with her sword of ice, neglected as far back as her battle with Suika. Cirno lost the element of surprise soon enough for Okuu to block with her Control Rod. With her speed and strength of her sword, she almost expects to cut the raven and her infernal device in two, but her sword effortlessly breaks upon impact. Not completely surprising, at her speed she's outside the raven's melee range in a flash. Getting close is perhaps the most dangerous thing the ancient can do.

Okuu is about to pursue, but a glint catches her attention above. Reflecting light from her multitude of flares, an icicle betrayed it's master by revealing it's position. Worse yet, it wasn't the only icicle. As if it were the end of the world, hundreds of thousands of spears of icy death are raining down from on high.

The nuclear powered raven starts by dodge the first few, but then fires a couple of blasts while she tries to wait out the storm. Unfortunately this hail will be without end. Past from where the icicles are being born are several glowing blue orbs. Alice, Reisen, and Youmu would recognize them.

Approach was impossible plus it was very hard to see every single orb that had been created. Too much firepower would be wasted while she tried to find them all. So she would take them all out in one fell swoop.

"Warning: Subterranean Sun!"

While she might not have been underground, little did that matter. Okuu's body glows to the point of being indistinguishable, and energy emerges from her. Engulfed in her own ball of fire, it's unknown if the ball is coming from her body or if she's been devoured by her own power. Whatever the case, the ball slowly expands.

The expanding ball wasn't the only problem. It wasn't simply a ball of fire, but an actual star. Cirno herself can feel the pull of gravity, but her great speed and maneuverability is more then enough to combat it's effects. However, those stationary orbs hold their positions no longer. As they continue to spew an endless amount of icicles, they are being pulled into the miniature sun. It's no surprise where this is going.

After a half minute, they unimpressively fizzle into nothingness as they're eaten by the star.

Still does the star grow. Pulling loose snow, foliage, and other random junk. As long as it continues to eat it will continue to grow. For how much longer will it expand? The answer was probably for as long as Okuu wanted it to. For Cirno a simple option was before her. She could run. The ancient's power has met it's polar opposite, and facing such a foe head-on is tantamount to suicide. However, that doesn't rid her of the threat Okuu possesses. This Sun created by Okuu has to power to destroy her, but it's a stationary threat. Cirno doesn't _need_ to face her. However, not more then a few minutes before did the ancient tell Reimu that she'd never once did anything to prolong her life, naturally or otherwise. If it's her fate to die then that's that; Cirno will never run from what's been placed before her.

The three wings on her left side wrap around her arm. It kinda looks like a funnel made of ice. The base, over her shoulder, is wider than the tip that reaches far past the reach of her own hand. This is more of a cannon than Utsuho's.

"At where all things cease," Cirno chants, "beyond heaven and hell, beyond the reach of the abyss and oblivion. In this world where all things stop, all life ends, where even the base form of all, energy, can die. I judge upon you, sacrilege of the sanctity of the universe; end."

Something builds before the body of the ancient. It's small, thin, and is rectangle in shape. Any and all in Gensokyo would recognize this. It's a spell card.

"The World Arcana, Ice Age!"

From the recoil of the blast, Cirno's long hair whips back and her clothes desperately hang on her body. Focused and condensed by the wings wrapping around her arm, a beam of the brightest white is fired. Aimed directly and Okuu's Sun, it hits with a forceful impact. One might think it would only serve to feed the star, but the result is exactly the opposite. Not only does it cease it's growth, but it's mass decreases. Shrinking from the strain put upon it, that intense light begins to dim. It changes color, from an impossibly intense pinkish-white, to a duller blue. The star is dying.

Ice forms underneath their current position. Nowhere near is Cirno's attack aimed at anything other than Okuu, but effects are felt throughout. Water freezes, leaves shatter under the pressure, and fluttering snow forms without precipitation or even clouds. Cirno's spell changes the face of the Earth by it's mere existence.

The three wings on her right side jerk in reflex. They cover for her body, absorbing the force of the three arrows that were fired at her. It isn't particularly much, but her body is rocked and her aim thrown slightly to the side. That beam she'd been firing is jarred off target, focusing off Okuu and into the helpless beyond. The beam drew upon the water for only a moment, but for that time the water froze. Not just the surface, but deep below all the way to the earth. Only for a second did Cirno allow her magic to spray around wildly before she stopped it herself, but in those few moments did the entire lake freeze, again.

Cirno disengages the cannon on her left arm, making use of all her wings again so she doesn't end up flying around in circles. In the distance, atop the roof of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, is a lone figure with a bow and arrow. Her long white braid sways in the breeze. It's the doctor of Eientei, Eirin Yagokoro. Even at that great distance she is perfectly accurate and can hit her target.

Okuu wastes no time canceling her spell and making herself mobile again, flying up and putting herself at a distance that isn't too close or too far away from her adversary. Subterranean Sun is one of her best moves, and for it nearly to be the end of her meant she has to adjust her game-plan. Apparently she wasn't in this alone, so with aid came additional options. However, it's hard to come up with a solid strategy if the two can't communicate. This didn't particularly make things any easier.

Switching her glance between one and the other, Cirno is cautious on how to proceed. Of the two, Okuu is the much greater threat, but neither can Eirin be discounted. Those lasers she sometimes fires can be just as bad as Okuu's basic attacks, but can she utilize them at that great a distance? Even without lasers those arrows aren't something she wants to take too many of. Her ice wings fared well, but at this point they are probably stronger than her own body. This battle has been long fought, and her injuries and damages are numerous. While she wasn't reckless before, it definitely wasn't the time to be now. She'll wait and see how these two respond to the sudden cooperation.

Similar to the "pop" she heard when the flares were fired, another controlled explosion takes place, but this one bigger and louder, rattling the eardrums of all who hear. It comes from somewhere in the forest, behind the cover of trees. Faintly can Cirno perceive something being shot at her, so she makes a sudden movement and hops to the side. Something barely visible passes by her, some kind of projectile that doesn't give the glow of magic. Whatever it was it missed-

Suddenly that "thing" explodes behind her. Without knowing what's happening, Cirno can feel small shards rip into her. With durability comparable to steel, Cirno's icy flesh isn't so easily pierced, but whatever shards, whatever shrapnel resulted from that explosion accomplished no easy feet. Underneath her shredded clothing, Cirno's body had great chunks chipped away.

Same as with the flares which was produced by the kappas because of a game, they had other toys developed as well. Nitori wasn't communicating with the others of her kind simply to lighten the battlefield, they were moving, positioning, and installing these such "toys" to aid in the battle against Cirno. However, with the loss of the barrier they were no longer able to operate what they'd so painstakingly prepared. Although, they weren't the only ones capable of operating them.

After Momiji gave her final report, Marisa and Eirin was stopped by Nitori before they got too far. She told the pair about the multiple batteries that had been installed beforehand, and how to operate them. While Eirin felt she could perform well without the use of devices, the human magician wasn't as confident. Even if Nitori didn't have the power to stand, she could still coordinate the efforts of those two over the radio.

What Marisa found in the forest was an odd metal device bolted on top of a wagon. It had twin barrels, two cranks to adjust it's aim, and a sight to check it's target. Nearby was a crate filled with bullets larger than her own arm. One shell had already been loaded, and they were way too heavy for her to load another. Nitori told Marisa that all she had to do was aim and pull the trigger, but to only fire when Cirno was a specific distance away. The magician awaited the cue from the kappa.

Cirno spiraled uncontrollably to the ground, but catches herself before she crashes. That one blow was just as bad as everything she'd suffered from the out-of-control Patchouli. The ancient's back felt as if it were on fire, and if blood coursed throughout her veins she'd be spilling it in buckets. Nobody could have survived such a blow but her, and Cirno wasn't even certain of the surviving part. The cold tingling of death felt near. For the first time since she's awaken, Cirno feels as if she can honestly die.

This would be the perfect opportunity to pounce, to make a final push upon the Ancient World Slayer, but just as they recognize that fact, something causes all three to shudder in fear. Cirno lays still in midair as she recovers, but a chill and an odd vibe runs through all who see her. Is it a premonition of danger? A fight or flight mechanism that's built into every living being? As if it weren't already true before, the three can feel that Cirno has become impossibly dangerous, far beyond what they've come to know.

An eruption occurs on the lake. To what they've become familiar, it's one of those high-speed serpent-like dragons. However, it's their target that is this time different. Instead of Okuu, the one hidden in the forest, or the one atop the mansion, it focuses on Cirno. It make's no mystery of it's intentions, opening it's large maw and swallowing the ancient whole. Certainly it couldn't have killed or even harmed the blue-haired woman, but it wasn't a pleasant scene to witness nonetheless. What happens next, however, is the true horror.

Another dragon is born from the lake. Growing and racing at it's ridiculous speeds, it turns on the first dragon and devours a segment of it's neck, decapitating the head from the body. As it falls to the ground with an absence of grace, a third dragon sprouts. Like it's predecessor it attacks it's elder. Eating segments of the other's body, it's only a few short moments before the third dragon is killed by a forth. Then a fifth. Sixth. Soon they are born in such rapid succession it's become impossible to count. As they stem from the lake they have no tail end, only their very long necks and head. With as many of them that there are now, if observed collectively they don't resemble dragons at all, but a multi-headed hydra. Now all those heads have turned on another, cannibalizing itself for no known reason.

Aghast at the sight, the three now see nothing more than a cluster of those heads eating each other, but something odd is noticed. They're losing their forms. Individually they looked like dragons, but in this configuration they are all lurched upon each other forming a kind of ball. Or maybe a fruit. Bits and pieces of the devoured fall to the ground and are discarded, but otherwise, as a whole, that tangled mass is growing larger. It's forming into something else.

They can't tell if they're eating each other anymore, but their bodies are mingling, twinging together, creating a very distinct shape. At first there was the solid mass in the middle, but four appendages are formed. From it's front and rear, if the two were distinguishable, longer shafts are constructed for a head and tail. Six wings sprout from inside, though it's clear they're not from culmination of serpents; they're Cirno's own. As the head is shaped it's taken a distinct and clear form.

On four legs with razor sharp talons, a scaly hide, a sharp tail, and a head resting atop a lean neck, this is unmistakeably one and only one thing, a True Dragon. It's scale is completely unlike those facsimile from before, and that avatar when battling the oni. Covering nearly, from end to end, all of Misty Lake, if it were to swing it's tail it could easily reach and demolish the Scarlet Devil Mansion. It's claws alone are twice as large as even the tallest human, it's legs higher than the tallest building in Gensokyo, and with the reach of it's neck it might be able to peek into the crater of Youkai Mountain without having to climb. Utsuho, who was nearby, doesn't even register as a speck in comparison to this massive creature.

Underneath it's feet ice is formed and growing. The frozen nature of it's body strips the surroundings of heat, bringing about winter and it's eventual Ice Age just by being there. This is a creature that can't be supported by this current Earth, and it will alter that just to survive.

As it breathes, the rumble in it's low tone is an assault on the ears. Okuu and Marisa, who are the closest, are uncomfortable just listening to it. It's like the continuous crashing of a waterfall, thought that might be soothing to some.

For a while it just stands there, and it's adversaries do the same. Such a grand creature was surely capable of wreaking untold havoc. Did anything in this world stand to contest the destruction this dragon might cause? Okuu, as well as the others, are frozen in as much fear as in awe.

It's massive wings flap once, stirring a draft so powerful it nearly blasts the hell-raven out of the sky. She catches herself and keeps from crashing, but Okuu can't even imagine herself trying to opposes this beast. If this wasn't asked of her by her Master Satori, the mere pet would have run back to Youkai Mountain and hid underground, but she was told she might be the only one able to solve this incident, so she summons the courage to stand her ground.

This is fear taken form. No one person could hope to gaze upon it's magnificence and not be stricken with terror. All three of them want to run away, and had they not known weren't alone they might. No one person would be the one to end this menace. No one person could even hope to compare. Only would a great many efforts combined could hope to save this world.

Another of those loud cannons fire, this time not by the hands of Marisa. The kappas installed many artillery in the surrounding forests, and the magician found only a one. Now somebody else is using it as they like.

The shell detonates at it's fixed interval moments before crashing into the giant. A dark cloud of smoke is produced in the blast and sparks flash as fragments collide with the dragon's icy hide, but other than that there is no effect. What nearly ripped apart Cirno before doesn't even scratch her beast.

As Marisa sprints through the forest in search of another battery, she comes across her miko friend Reimu. She tells the magician that the last shot wasn't her, but an awakened and enraged Yukari. Despite the loss of the boundary, and essentially Yukari's core, she still possesses great strength and can create gaps that can quickly move her from one place to the next. As they're conversing another cannon is fired. The youkai can make use of the weaponry much faster than the humans could possibly ever hope, so they must find another way to be effective.

Okuu finally gathered her courage and will to fight. To test things out she fires only a couple of blast to measure their effectiveness. Unlike when she devastated the individual dragons, her power over Nuclear Fusion barely even singes the dragon's hide. The problem lies with the immeasurable cold radiating from it's body. Okuu's ultra-hot orbs lose most of their power before even reaching their target, and what makes it that far is a pittance of their temperature. This was going to require some serious effort on her part.

Amidst the barrage inflicted upon her, the dragon does little but survey the surroundings. Nothing they are doing is having much of an impact. The arrows from Eirin and the flak cannon shellings from Yukari do little but dent it's massive frozen skin, but it's only a matter of time before Searing Divine Flame figures a way to overcome the Absolute Zero temperatures and inflict real damage. While impressive, Cirno crafted this massive monster as an armored shell, something to protect her while she prepares her greatest move. Once she loses the dragon her life is very likely to be next. This is probably her last move.

The dragon takes a few steps, widening it's stance. Craning it's neck back, it opens it's mouth and begins to exhale. As if pulled by gravity: frost, water, and other elements are gathered in an area far above it's mouth. At it's core ice starts to form, suspended in air, growing larger by the moment. Eirin recognizes what the ancient is doing.

As the party continues their near-futile effort on the base of the dragon, the ice above continues to grow. What was thrown at Eirin and Keine and destroyed by the fist of Meiling, was a colossal mass larger than the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Quickly does this surpass that. From the size of a building, it grows to that of an island, than the size of the lake, even larger to where it eclipses the sky.

While the ice was growing the party continued their attacks, but gradually took notice of what was looming overhead. They saw what was being planned and turned their attention on it. However, what they could destroy was being outpaced by what was being grown. Desperately they struggled to deal it damage, but their efforts were too few. Once it came the size to obstruct the sky, and it continued to grow larger still, they couldn't continue anymore.

If it were given a name, it might have been something like this:

Ice Age Sign, Continental Fall.

Marisa stands next to Reimu, lost of all strength to even stand. On her knees she looks up to they sky in wonder.

"What are we supposed to do now, ze?" might have been a rhetorical question.

To this the Hakurei Priestess gives no response.

Atop the Scarlet Devil Mansion the bow falls from Eirin's grip.

Okuu sees the vast plain of ice about to be dropped upon them. A hard swallow goes down her throat. In her mind she wonders if she possibly has the power to fight against this. Surely she can damage it some if she expunged every ounce of power within her, sacrificing herself as a result and blanketing the sky in fire, but exactly how much good could that do? It would be sad that she'd never see Satori again, but if the pet can stop this then hasn't she obeyed her master's orders? A tear rolls down her cheek as she considers her options.

The dragon breaks.

That impenetrable surface loses all consistency in one instance, no longer held together by magic and surrendering to gravity. Falling in an avalanche, everything that made the body of the dragon drops in a downpour of snow; a scene as beautiful as creamy white silk. The snow pours in a waterfall, drenching the lake below and bursting like a dropped package of flour. Revealed underneath is a confused Cirno, no more understanding than those in attendance.

She's not in enough frame of mind to quickly notice the figure that races towards her at high speeds. At the last moment she does, and blocks, but the ancient takes a blow so heavy she's pushed several dozen meters back. Her left arm is severed as a result, it tumbles into the distance before dissolving into a breeze of diamond dust. After that initial blow, however, the attacker pays no further care to Cirno.

The white and red clad figure soars into the air, facing the now falling sky with reckless abandon. At the moment the two collide, the figure glows in a brilliant light, then it's body is lost in a dazzling display of magical force.

Next, one of the most surreal scenes take place. As if they were looking upon the Earth from some aerial platform, a bomb seems to be detonated upon the surface. Perhaps this was the view of the gods and they were watching an earthquake. From the figure's body, magic blasts devastates the surface of the falling continent of ice. At it's core, the blast erupts into four, perfectly angled in a symmetric pattern. Traveling in four directions, the blasts reaches as far as the bystanders' eyes can see.

It resembles a massive scarlet cross.

Breaking into four pieces, the falling frozen landmasses still represents a devastating threat. However, separate from the scarlet cross, unexplained explosions rock the four fragments, each breaking them into smaller and smaller portions. Seemingly without cause, this nearly appears as divine providence, the will of God. It only takes a dozen seconds, but the entire ice shelf has been broken into dust, rendered into gracefully fluttering snow.

Silence overtakes the battlefield as this strange, yet lovely, occurrence concludes. Gradually the snow blows away, and the one who faced the falling ice is revealed. Barely concealed in a shredded white dress, it's a small girl appearing no older than 10. Albino skin covers her frame and her head in hair of light blue. Crimson eyes glow in satanic delight. A pair of ebony wings sprout from her back, matching that of the only mammal that can fly. Sharp fangs are pronounced in her smile.

"I should thank you for not killing me," is told to Cirno by Remilia Scarlet, "but don't expect me to return the favor."


	37. The End

Revenge

From the confines of the pocket dimension, Sakuya Izayoi and Yuuka Kazami watched the entire events unfold. It was at the point when she saw Gungnir tear through the sky and stab Yukari Yakumo that the head maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion knew her master was alive. After battling in between boundaries and exiting victorious over the youkai, Sakuya knew that Remilia's body lay inside the block of ice that oddly followed the ancient. She was determined to do what she must to get her back.

Because of the nature of Remilia's control over Gungnir, Sakuya knew that if Remilia was dead than no matter the cause, Cirno couldn't have used the weapon for herself. The maid was told from Patchouli that she watched her friend die. However, vampires are resilient beyond reason. Vampires excel physically, mentally, and have immense magical powers. However, for every unfair strength they have crippling weaknesses. Of those weaknesses Cirno lacks the capacity to naturally capitalize on a one. At most her body might be considered an equivalent of Holy Water, but the pair hadn't fought in a melee style where it could be utilized. Cirno was made of 100% pure water, but her ice magic wasn't. If the vampire fought against the awakened ancient instead of the sleeping ice fairy, that might have been a different story, but it wasn't. Thinking it over logically, there was a high probability that Remilia could survive the fight and the wounds she suffered. It was because the body was never discovered that the false premise was accepted as fact.

So, if that were true for Remilia, then what about Flandre?

Yuuka and Sakuya agreed that it was time for her to act. If the maid could use her ability to stop time once, before it could be used against her, then it was now. Finally leaving the pocket dimension, the human kept a low profile and searched for the frozen body of the Sister of Scarlet.

Why search for Flandre when they knew the location of Remilia? To be perfectly blunt, the younger sister is, by far, the stronger of the two. If only one could be chosen to face against the ancient, then Flandre would be the better choice. However, if Sakuya was successful in freeing one without notice, then Flandre could use her unlimited strength to free her sister nearly instantly. So if Flandre could be saved, she in turn could save Remilia and both Scarlet sisters would be fighting the ancient. Though the maid wished for nothing more to see her mistress, saving her sister first was the correct choice.

The first spot she would begin her search would be the most obvious, near the place where Remilia was taken from right before Cirno was trapped by Yukari. The battle with the oni had broken apart most of the frozen lake, but it was that area which seemed to escape the most damage; the far northwestern area of Misty Lake. Was this by coincidence or design? Either way, it was the best place to start.

She'd have to move on foot as her ability to fly was lost when the boundary dropped. This was actually convenient as stealth was of great importance. As long as Cirno didn't know she was there she had the option to use her magic. According to Yuuka, the ancient once capitalized on another god's time stopping ability to slay a number of his comrades. The first time it was used Cirno suffered major blows, but the second it was turned against his friends, and a third it was against him. Why did Cirno get hit the first time? Did she need time to learn how to counter the ability, or was she simply taken by surprise and knew how to counter it all along? In either case it would be best for Sakuya to only use it once, and to do so while she still carried the full element of surprise. Otherwise it was a gamble she wasn't willing to risk.

While being cautious as not to be seen, by the time Sakuya made it to the NW corner of the lake, Cirno had frozen the water once again in dealing with Okuu's Subterranean Sun. The maid could feel herself running out of time. Unfortunately with Misty Lake once again frozen, that added much to her area of search. If worst comes to worst she'd give up on Flandre and go for Remilia, but with everything again blanketed in white she lost track of her mistress' exact location. All her hopes were now on finding the sister.

If there was any luck, she knew Flandre had to be above the water line. Being below the line meant she wasn't encased in ice, and if she wasn't encased in ice she would have already awaken and started a rampage. Since that didn't happen she must still be frozen. All the battles thus far had made a wreckage of the once completely flat landscape, and if she was purposely hidden as a block beneath the surface, buoyancy should have brought her up when the shelf above her was broken. There were quite a few suspicious areas, so she needed to hurry.

It wasn't such an easy thing. First she had to wipe away the snow to the ice beneath and peer within. Flandre would appear as nothing more than a discolored blur, and finding that within the ice would have been hard enough without the darkness of night. It was a miserable search with the chill biting at her flesh and frostbite threatening her very fingers.

Sakuya's perseverance paid off and she found Flandre sealed away in an icy coffin.

Moments later, Cirno was swallowed by her own dragon.

Like everyone else Sakuya was lost in awe as the grotesque transformation which led to a creature that spanned far beyond what she could have ever imagined. In fact one of it's own hind legs wasn't particularly far from her location.

Right before the dragon started to form that skyline-spanning comet, Sakuya stopped time.

With only the aid of her knives, Sakuya was forced to dig through the thick layer of ice. Hands trembling, numb, and becoming a purplish-blue from frostbite, the poor maid could barely hold her knives. Thankfully with the stoppage of time she no longer suffered from the adverse weather conditions, but neither did the work make her particularly warmer. Worse yet was that she had at least 120 cm before she even reaches Flandre's head, and then she had to dig her out.

Technically no time passes while she does this, but an equivalent to an hour has transpired. Chipping away at the rock solid ice was a far more difficult task than she had anticipated. Her rate of progress was discouragingly slow and already had she broken two knives. At least those she had in abundance, but the two hands which held them were becoming bruised with the multiple and rapid impacts of the strikes. Worst yet was how long she could maintain her ability of freezing time. The max she'd been able to was six hours. Chipping away with merely silver knives, Sakuya doesn't know if she can make that deadline.

Another hour passes. Then two.

She's maybe only five or so centimeters till she makes it to Flandre's head, but then she needs to get delicate and carefully chisel her outline.

Five hours total have expired.

Physical exhaustion had well pushed her past her limits, as well as the limit for her magic. The maid had abandoned the finer chiseling of the body to simply getting it to the point where Flandre could be pulled from the ice. She'd bang the tail end of one knife with the other stuck in the ice, and when it stood firm she'd stomp on it with her foot. A process she wished she thought up hours ago, but she was forced to make do as she's nearly lost all movement in her fingers.

Six hours in, past her previous record.

With each strike against the ice a curse escaped her lips. Permanent damage must be occurring, but her single-mindedness keeps her progressing. Flandre has been excavated up to her neck. So much of the vampire's body remains, and the rate at which she was digging was slow. Her body would never hold until the very end; this she knew. After coming this far she couldn't allow herself to fail. Was this not the moment she was waiting, dreaming for?

Blood drips from her nose and falls to the ground. Before it travels too far from her frame, it loses color and then halts in mid air. Sakuya has reached the tail end of her limits. With no more magic to supply her time-stopping ability, her body itself is instead being consumed. How much longer she could persist after this was very short. It's inconceivable that she possess the ability or opportunity to free her mistress' sister. She has failed.

Relinquishing her control over time, the blood dripping from her nose that had pooled in mid air splatters against snow right before Flandre's frozen head. Sakuya sits on her knees as her powerlessness has drained the life out of her. Once again assaulted by the cold, her only solace is the warmth from her blood that's dripping on her bare legs.

Warmth?

Of course! She'd been so preoccupied with digging that she'd forgotten her goal. Digging out the frozen body of Flandre was only a means. What was truly needed was for the younger vampire sibling to be revived. To do so, what was needed more then anything was blood; a vampire's prime source of nourishment!

Hesitating not a moment, Sakuya takes her knife and slices hand. Or was about to. With the cold her blood circulation is very poor, and cutting her own flesh at that spot wouldn't do much. She needs to bleed, but there are perhaps no safe extremities to perform the act. So if she couldn't be safe, then so be it.

She stabs herself in the stomach.

Blood gushes from her wound as she twists the knife. Looming over the frozen body of Flandre, blood splatters on top of her head, eventually running all over her face. Steam rises from the crimson dye, assaulting frozen flesh with it's 37 degree Celsius temperature. This is perhaps the fastest way to thaw given the conditions.

Cirno's Dragon starts gathering the ice up in the sky.

Already had blood dripped to the lips of the vampire, but it has yet to take a drink. Enough of Flandre needs to thaw, functioning so that she can take a drink. If she were a human such an incomplete process could only lead to death, but banking on the physical resiliency of a vampire, such a method may be possible. However, Sakuya won't know if her mistress's sister is alive or dead until she starts moving, and until then all the human maid can do is bleed.

There's an odd quake in the air, like someone suddenly grabbed your head and chest and applied pressure. Sakuya feels this and knows a change has undertaken. The blood that had dripped from Flandre's mouth, down her chin and onto the snow, now runs in reverse. Same with the blood on her head, all of that spilled life force is rushing to one spot; Flandre's mouth. She's drinking it.

Suddenly the vampire takes a desperate breath of air. Her now-thawed shoulders tense, and in an instant her entire body shatters the ice encasing her. The vampire is alive and free.

Weary as if she'd just awaken from a long nap, Flandre looks around as she has no idea where she is. Spotting the maid, bleeding in the snow, she speaks,

"Oh, Saku? What's wrong? That looks like it hurts."

Sakuya smiles through her pained and pallid expression. The young-appearing vampire squats above her with childlike innocence, neither aghast or even startled by the horrific scene of the bleeding maid. Such disturbing acceptance is Flandre's hallmark. She really is alive.

"Flan-chan," Sakuya's voice is weak, without doubt due to the injury and blood loss, "you need to take me to your sister."

"Sister? Oh, okay. Where is she?"

With an arm that feels as heavy as lead, she points to the south, past the four feet of the massive ice dragon.

"Oh! What's that? It looks like fun!" the vampire is becoming excited.

"Listen, Flan, before you can go and play, you need to bring me to your sister."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

Flandre mulls this over for a moment, clearly displeased, "Okay. I guess."

"Don't worry, after you take me to her you can play all you want."

This brightens her mood, "Really? Okay! Got it!"

The childish body of Flandre picks up the full grown human woman with relative ease. Flapping her grotesque wings (which aerodynamically shouldn't have made a difference), the vampire goes into a low hover. Then, like a shot of a bullet, they race to the south. With everyone focused on the frozen sky above them, not one of the Gensokyo combatants ever notice the revived Sister of Scarlet. The pair make it to the general location to where Sakuya pointed.

Sakuya scans the area, unsure of where that block might have gotten to, but Flandre heads straight for it. Either it was their sibling bond or some sense unique to vampires, but Flandre knew exactly where Remilia's body lay.

Upon realizing her sister was frozen in ice, Flandre effortlessly broke the "cold" surrounding her. What took Sakuya hours and much of her own life force, took Flandre less than a second without sacrifice. Remilia fell from the ice and landed on her face in the snow. She might have been thawed, but she had yet to show any signs of life.

Placing the maid next to her master, Flandre backs away a little, "Okay, I brought you. Can I go play now?" she was anxious.

Sakuya's responses are weak. Anemic from her self-inflicted wound, the maid was fluttering between consciousness. Pressing into her wound, she next reaches out to Remilia with blood-soaked fingers. Her touch extends to the vampire's lips, and just as she registers their soft touch, she losses consciousness.

Slight color returns to those pale blue lips. For the first time the elder vampire's body shows movement; she licks her lips. With a faint amount of life returns to her, more of her starts to move. Her arms reach and dig into the snow, pulling herself forward towards her lifeless maid. It's the blood. It's attractive smell draws the vampire, even unconsciously. Instinctively Remilia crawls to it's scent, and once upon it she licks at the wound, drawing as much of the spilling life force for herself. Color and strength visibly return to the Scarlet Mistress.

By the time she realizes what she's doing, Remilia has to stop. Beneath her his her heavily injured maid, stabbed in the belly by one of her own knives.

"Sakuya!" she yells, confused and disoriented.

Quickly she looks around and sees how denigrated the situation has become. Nearby stands Flandre, completely absorbed in the giant dragon of ice standing above Misty Lake. Even further above is a giant plain of ice that blankets the sky. If that were to fall not a one of them would survive. Turning back to Sakuya, Remilia realizes the wound was self-inflicted, and what must now be done. Standing on her own two feet, she turns her back on her head maid, suffering much pain in doing so. Saving Sakuya's life would have to wait. First the world need to be saved.

"Do you think you can break that?" Remilia asks her sister.

"Which one?" she answers without adverting her gaze.

"Both."

"I can break the Dragon, but that other thing is too large. It needs to get smaller before it's 'eye' can fit into my hand."

Which really meant that she could break both, but didn't want to put forth too much effort to take out the ice fall. Whatever her motivations, it could be arranged.

"Alright. Break the dragon, and I'll do something about the sky. We need to hurry and get this over with, I don't want to lose such a talented and dedicated maid."

The End

Vampires are a unique bunch. In a world of science, reason, and technology, they somehow still thrive in fiction and lore. With the destruction of the Gensokyo Boundary, they suffer none from the effects of the outside world. In this way they are true masters in Gensokyo, capable of great power within and without. With magic being drained by a world which rejects it, only something that is accepted stands a hope of battling against the ancient being of immeasurable power.

Cirno clutches the arm that's lost it's hand. The damage that was first taken by Meiling, exemplified by hours of continuous battles, had finally given under the pressure of the revived Remilia Scarlet. At it's end, the injury continues to spray glittering diamond dust as her arm degenerates. What little magic of her's that remains isn't enough to sustain her body. Her life is ending.

Flandre appears directly behind the ancient, claws ready for a furious swipe that likely has the strength to decapitate her foe. Cirno senses the killing blow coming from her rear. As the moments tick by and her body falls apart, her existence is slowly flickering into nothingness. With or without fighting anymore she is going to die. Does it make much a difference if it is done by inevitability or the fury of an opponent? Is one way better than another if no matter the outcome she is to end? How does Cirno wish to leave this world?

With her right and remaining hand, Cirno connects with the jaw of Flandre. That child-like body accepts the blow and is rocketed to the ground. Crashing with the most impressive of impacts, the sadistic vampire rises from the dust no worse than before, enjoying receiving a hit as much as giving one. Such resilience is frightening considering Cirno's punch was strong enough to fell a god.

Remilia readies her spear; the red energy weapon materializes in her hand. At that first sign of movement Cirno darts to the side, making full use of her mobility she's retained. It's clear that the ancient doesn't wish to sit still so as to become a target of ranged attacks. There was Yukari with her anti-air artillery, Eirin with her arrows, and now Remilia with Gungnir. It was bad for Cirno to sit still, but that doesn't discourage the vampire. She continues to fixate on the tall woman in blue.

Flandre meets with Cirno's maneuvering, and the pair dance in the air. They rush at each other, strike, separate, and do so again. Both the younger vampire and the ancient appear of equal strength and speed. Both are impossibly strong, blindingly fast, and are otherwise unfair characters. However, those who've been watching Cirno notice that she is now lacking her break-neck turns. Her body must no longer be in a condition that can sustain such pressures. Eirin, from behind her bow, realizes that this battle is ending.

Cirno is but a blue blur, and Flandre red. Remilia focuses on the blue. Suddenly the sky is blanketed with flares. Lest anybody forgot, Okuu is still around. While she lacks the speed and strength of these characters with broken parameters, the destruction of which she is capable is no lacking from the other two. The Searing Divine Flame litters the battlefield with nuclear hazards. While much consideration wasn't given towards Flandre, the vampire wouldn't have taken offense. In fact, making it that much more difficult to engage in combat only delighted the little insane psychopath. It made it more fun.

Hesitating in her movements, it's clear that Cirno no longer holds the confidence she'd had thus far. With her opponent unsure and uneasy, Flandre doesn't waste a moment covering the ground between them. Extending from her fingers are long claws; a vampire's nails that reveal themselves when excited. With these she can cleave through most solid metals. Cirno would prove little resistance.

Flandre is within arm's reach. She swipes furiously, wildly attacking and hoping for any piece of flesh she can render and tear. Unable to escape, Cirno resorts to shifting away and leaning her body to dodge by the smallest of millimeters. At the moment she's about to finally pull away, Okuu fires more shots to cut off escape. Cirno's been backed into a corner.

Suddenly she jerks forward, noticing the red glint in the distance. A fraction of a second later the thrown spear passes right behind her. Unfortunately she can only procure the safety of her main body. Gungnir pierces right through one of her wings, severing it, and casting it to the ground. The ancient screams as if it were a part of her own flesh. Her wing crashes into the ice below.

Those razor claws of Flandre rake Cirno's face. The already damaged left eye is broken away completely. In an act of desperation, the ancient throws a kick at the little vampire who's too close. Perhaps suffering from the euphoria of causing pain, Flandre is stricken and is victim to the strength of the tall woman. Lacking none of her physical power, she launches the vampire deep into the forest, hundreds of meters away.

Okuu is once again radiating a great light, although much smaller than Subterranean Sun. Sacrificing size, she's gained mobility. Charging at Cirno is a meteor, no less destructive then it appears. With half her face gone, panting heavily, the ancient doesn't seem as if she's even going to bother avoiding. Just before the two come into contact, she shields herself with the three wings on her right side.

It would seem impossible, but those three wings of ice completely halt the progress of the searing sun. Okuu continues to try and push forward, but she's stilled by the stubbornness of the tall woman. However, shards and glittering dust spray from the frozen limbs that are attempting to stop the nuclear raven. It's a valiant push, but eventually Okuu runs out of juice and her solar aura fades. When it does Cirno pushes her away, then slices at the raven with her remaining two wings on her left side. If they were sharp Okuu might have been cut in half, but the blunt blow is plenty heavy and knocks her a great distance away.

Battered, her body crumbling to dust with each passing moment, the Ancient Slayer of Worlds refuses to yield. The third and final combatant makes herself known by charging at Cirno again with her lightning-like speed. However, this time she lacks the element of surprise. Flinching with uncanny reflexes, Cirno reaches out and catches the vampire by the head, immediately putting a halt to her charge. Greatly taller and with an arm-span that far surpasses the child-like vampire, Remilia couldn't even hope of retaliating. With the head of the vampire in her grasp, Cirno twists her body and hurls the child at the recovering raven. The two crash into each other in a more embarrassing than painful manner.

The raven and vampire collect themselves, helping each other to recover. Once they are again centered, they take a moment to survey their opponent. Cirno hasn't moved from that spot. One of her wings is gone and all three on her right side are shards of their former selves. She might not be capable of properly flying at this point. By all intensive purposes it appears that she can't move.

"She just doesn't know when to give up," Remilia tells her unlikely ally, "does she?"

Okuu swallows hard then speaks, "Why does she keep doing this? It's obvious how this is going to end."

Remilia tells her, "It's because that she knows how it's going to end that she fights so desperately. I admire that there isn't an ounce of 'quit' in her, but she's really in an unsightly state. It's unbecoming, but I can't help but find her beautiful."

There's a roar deep within the forest. A giant column of fire rises into the heavens and paints the night in it's orange glow. The pair turn their heads away from the ancient and at this new threat. To one of them this is familiar, but the other is seeing it for the first time.

"Is that your sister?" Okuu makes a good guess.

After nodding, Remilia states, "It's over."

Flandre leaps from the forest. In her hands a curved shaped device that appears as a wand. As Remilia has Gungnir, Flandre has Laevateinn. From it's tip bursts it's flame, and as it's manipulated the pillar clumsily follows. With this weapon in hand Flandre charges at Cirno, though lost of most of her speed from carrying such a large weapon and heavy weapon. In ancient times it was once carried by a giant. Flandre posses the same kind of strength.

The ancient stares, calculating with a cold disposition. This isn't the face of someone who's accepting of death. This clumsy sword is too destructive, and it's path is easily predictable and avoidable. Even if Cirno's flight is greatly diminished with the loss/damaging of her wings, this shouldn't be particularly difficult.

There's a sudden pop directly underneath her, and Cirno quickly moves in reflex. It's like the cannon fire she's heard, but it's calmer like the flares that had been fired by the kappa. As the projectile passes by her and ignites in the sky, she confirms it's precisely that. But why would anyone bother to fire one of those directly at the ancient? Could it have been an act of desperation by a kappa who's giving their final push? Whatever the case, the flare, and the one who fired it, are of lesser concern to the charging Flandre with her wand of fire. Cirno's going to have to move soon if she's going to avoid.

Except she can't move! She's completely frozen! Unlike when she was trapped by the Hakurei Miko's binding talismans, this is like her body is encased in stone, suddenly surrounded by an element that has her completely engulfed. Was this the aim of the one who fire the flare? But how were they doing this?

Cirno couldn't turn her head, but she could still control where she sees. As best she can she looks down. What she thought she saw was someone standing on the ice directly below her. She can't focus properly, but it almost looks like Okuu halfway hidden in the ancient's shadow cast by the flare. But Okuu is standing next to Remilia! Who is this?

As if she forgot, Cirno turns her sights back to Flandre. She's now dangerously close, already swinging Laevateinn. Try as she might, the ancient is completely frozen stiff. Given enough time, she might find a way to fight this constraining magic, but she has no time! Maybe if she summons enough strength-

"_Please don't suffer."_

Willpower leaves her. The voice she heard calms her soul; words filled with love. She no longer feels pain. As the fire encroaches upon her, it's warm and comforting.

Closing her eyes, she smile.

Flandre cuts her in half.

Final Moments

Sensing someone near, Cirno opens her sole eye. It's a familiar face wearing that plaid red vest and skirt. It's a youkai of green hair and deep amber eyes. In her arms is her parasol, completely useless as it's night.

"I was wondering where you were," Cirno speaks through a pained voice. Had she a normal human body this would have been impossible, but as long as a spark of life remains she can speak. Although, a spark is all that remains. "Are you going to finish me off again, like last time."

Yuuka Kazami stands above the less than half of body that remains of Cirno. She was cut just above the waist, but much more of her than that has dissolved. Most of her chest is gone, her dress deflated. The degeneration on her face hasn't progressed, but it's as if it's being saved for last. The sparkling diamond dust is spraying from every centimeter of her body.

"That really isn't necessary, is it?" though she smiles, the youkai's expression is pained. "You're falling apart."

"Aye, I am." Cirno looks around. A few have gathered. Aside from Yuuka, there's Yukari and Reimu, Marisa, Flandre and Utsuho. Remilia is gone (having attended to her gravely injured maid). "This crowd is much bigger than last time I died. I guess I must appear to be quiet the spectacle."

"It's not every day that a life form that's survived for billions of years dies. If I was a certain miko I would have sold tickets."

Nobody particularly (especially Reimu) finds that funny. Even Cirno seems a bit put off.

"You were so much cuter when you were younger."

Clear signs of irritation strike Yuuka, and some of the others lightly snicker. To retaliate, she turns her back to the ancient and scoffs, "Well, at least I don't have to suffer your pigheadedness for another 1500 years."

"No," Cirno tells her, "there won't be a next time."

Yuuka stops and looks back. The only words she can say are, "What?"

"I survived last time because some of my magic remained. Last time the only thing destroyed was my body. I held back a bit of my magic so I could one day return. It's why the Ice Fairy kept regenerating when she was destroyed over and over again by the vampires and gods. When I was the Ice Fairy she only had magic and not a true body. As long as one of the two remains I shall regenerate. This time, however, my magic's completely spent and my body destroyed. There's no coming back from this."

The smile falters. Gripping her parasol tightly in her hands, Yuuka's face is nearly in a rage, "Then why did you start this? Why did you try the same failed tactic if you knew you wouldn't get another chance?"

Cirno rises her right hand to silence the increasingly angry woman (only three fingers remain), "It's alright. This is what should have happened long ago. However, I'm glad, that at the very end of my long life, I've finally found what I was looking for."

Yuuka opens her mouth to object, but her voice offers no power. After a moment she chooses words her tongue will accept, "What have you found?"

The pieces of Cirno scattering into the cool night air increase. Her time on this Earth is rapidly drawing short.

"I don't have the time remaining to explain, but look each other in the eyes. Look at each and every one who's participated this day. You'll come to see what I see. In time, you'll come to see."

Death, a cruel merchant, takes Cirno. In a flash, the her that remains is stricken into dust. Cascading in a brilliant glitter, the ancient's final moments are the remains of her body drifting into nothingness on the gentle kiss of the wind, sparkling as they reflect light. It's as if the crowd's witnessing twinkling stars no more than an arm's reach away. In those beautifully short moments, all traces of the ancient fades away.

For a few minutes the group remains, watching over the spot the greatest being they may ever know once laid. One by one they leave, some returning home, some to join their friends, and some turning their focus on repairing the damage done. In the end it's Yuuka, who once adored the Ancient Cirno in her youth, that can't tear herself away. A practice long abandoned, she lowers herself to her knees and offers a prayer to the departed soul. Afterwords she leaves, hiding her face underneath her umbrella from any who might be watching.

After everyone is gone, and nearby fires diminish, blanketing the area in a lightless night, a winged figure approaches the final resting place. Obviously a female, she takes a knee and places a hand on the exact spot. Lowering her head, she too seems to offer a prayer. After she's finished, she takes a stand. As she's about to walk away, she thinks she hears something not far away. Her head snaps to, the yellow glow from her eyes illuminating the dark. Discovering nothing, the woman walks away.

* * *

_It's not over just yet. There's still the epilogue. It's not really a spoiler, but the 2nd Okuu is Hati, as well as the winged figure at the end. In case you forgot, when Marisa fought Hati she'd been frozen when he stood on her shadow. Using one of the kappa's flares, he does the same to the ancient. It made better literary sense to leave it out of the main writing, but it might be confusing so I attached a couple cheat notes here in the postscript. I'll have more to say when I post the next and final chapter._

_~Kyle Castorena  
_


	38. Epilogue

Epilogue

Intended Consequence

The select staff gradually withdrew from the monitor. Inside this room are men of the highest rank within the Lunar Capital, including the grand leader of them all. Lord Tsukuyomi is a man appearing in his late teens, with long raven-black hair, and is always garbed in the purest of white. While he stands at attention his hands are intertwined behind his back. His stare is nearly powerful enough to burn a hole through the now inactive monitor. The others in the room look to him uneasily, as if they can't even breathe without his permission.

There's a knock at the door, and all others except the lord jerk in surprise. After the knock Lord Tsukuyomi speaks immediately and with near-irritation.

"Enter!"

A slender man enters in a hurry, casting his eyes downward as not to offend. It's the same man who first noticed the spike in the GAL. Though it wasn't by the lord's choice, since this man made the discovery he was forced to be in the loop along with all these high ranking officials. It was a luck that was both good and bad.

"Report!" Tsukuyomi orders.

"Ah yes," his nervous tension is palpable. "Facial recognition has concluded with a 99.987% probability that it was indeed Yagokoro Eirin. We have also positively identified Hakurei Reimu, Kirisame Marisa, Sakuya Izayoi, and Remilia Scarlet, all of whom once invaded moon. Also identified was Yakumo Yukari."

"And the Intelligence Division's report?"

"Yes! As you know, a piece of a Lunar Veil was found on the wreckage of their rocket. It was hypothesized that it was lent to them by Yagokoro-sensei, but that theory was discredited due to her lack of involvement in the actual invasion. However, it was also theorized that her actual involvement may have been covered up by Watatsuki no Yorihime and Watatsuki no Toyohime because of their past relations, but like before, only circumstantial evidence supports this theory. However, considering their involvement in this incident with this unknown god, a relationship can be established as well as possible mutual interests."

"And this unknown god?"

"Confirmed to be deceased. There was a cosmic quake observed as per recorded with previous passages of gods. We have yet to identify her, but an investigation is ongoing."

"I see." Lord Tsuyukomi takes a moment to think, then ordains, "From this day forward, make travel to and from Earth to be a Capital Offense, as well as exchanging in communications thereof. I will no longer tolerate any conspiring of another invasion. Anyone found guilty of such treason will be put to death, which could include the Watatsuki Sister. That will be all."

"One moment sir!"

Lord Tsukuyomi snaps his head so violently in affront, the analysis fears he might be stricken dead at his master's stare, "What?"

Cowering, "Sir, during this incident, we received a message from the surface."

His hostility drains in an instant. In fact, he actually seems surprised.

"A message? Do we have any spies currently on Earth?"

"No sir! None at the moment."

"What's the identity of this messenger?"

"We have nothing on record. Something interfered with our observation technology and we couldn't record a image of the messenger either. However, we know the point of origin to be the peek of the largest mountain in the region of the incident."

"They waited for the boundary to go down before sending their message?"

"Correct. With the boundary gone even our monitoring equipment became that much more effective."

"Then can we assume this person brought down the boundary just so they could send us a message?"

"That is the likely assumption."

"Very well, what is this message?"

"It reads, _'Princess Kaguya Houraisan hides in the bamboo forest.'_"

Everyone gasps. Even the lord appears shaken.

An alarm sounds. They return to the monitors.

"Report!" Tsukuyomi orders.

From the man nearest the console, "Our reading are dropping!" After analyzing for a moment. "Sir! The boundary is being reestablished!"

Their master takes the forefront, "Quickly! Record all topographical information within the previous boundary's perimeter, and I want a detailed scan of coordinates G8 to J11, highest resolution!"

"Sir!"

Nervous seconds pass. All the operators furiously work at their terminals, obeying their lord's orders to the best of their abilities while time was rapidly becoming shorter. On the main monitor the image displayed becomes brighter. A circle of magic is being drawn on the great land. About a dozen kilometers in diameter, it is written in a forgotten language, but clearly visible are five ying yang symbols. The image is gradually becoming riddled with static. Working as fast as they can, the operators can only do so much while waiting for their equipment to keep up with them. Several seconds pass, and then they lose the image all together. There's a deafening silence.

"Report!" Tsukuyomi shouts, causing everyone to jump in surprise.

One nervous operator speaks, "Overall Topographical Analysis, 64% complete."

"What? Explain!"

"Sir, even with the boundary gone overall, there were many miniature protections cast about the land. With so many and such little time, it was too much to cover them all."

Shivering in terror, the operator can do nothing but await a response from his lord. Tsukuyomi himself is still, calculating everything in his head. All heartbeats ceases while they await the leader's reactions.

Lord Tsukuyomi moves. Walking with a pace no faster than a grandfather taking his daily stroll, he comes to behind the operator who'd just spoken. Placing a hand on the top of his head, Tsukuyomi proceeds to twist until the operator face points in the exact opposite direction. The loud "snap" left no question that the man's neck was broken. Jerking once from spasm, the operator's body loses it's balance and falls from his chair.

Reaching into his pocket with the hand that hadn't just killed one of his own men, Tsukuyomi produces a handkerchief. He wipes the hand that had grasped the man's head.

"The bamboo forest," he says, relaying his next orders.

"Sir!" another operator speaks, however this man's voice lacks the fear of the previous operator. "The high resolution scan of the bamboo forest is complete."

"On screen."

The recorded image is relayed to the main monitor. What's displayed is an aerial view of The Bamboo Forest of the Lost. Filters have been applied so it appears as bright as day. Though this operator completed his mission, he received no words of praise. Success was expected, and failure wasn't tolerated.

"Four times magnification on section 16,42."

His will is obeyed. The image zooms in on the spot he indicated. Mostly indicated are trees and a near completely obstructive canopy, but an odd blotch is noticeable. It takes the computer a few moments to render the magnified image to it's highest resolution, leaving what's seen temperately blurry. After rendering is complete, it's clear the blotch is a structure.

"16 times magnification on that building."

The process repeats. After the rendering finishes what's shown is a Japanese-style mansion. It's Eientei.

"Sir, could this be-"

"There!" Tsukuyomi shouts, startling everyone in the room less at his abruptness, but the excitement in his voice. It's extremely rare for the lord to show any kind of emotion. "362, 89."

That coordinate is an area just outside the mansion, apparently a part of the courtyard. It's difficult to tell, but it appears something slightly out of the ordinary is depicted. The resolution is already extraordinarily high for a satellite photograph, and it was hard to tell even with that incredible image. Only the lord seemed to know what this was before the image was amplified.

As the image rendered, focusing the recorded data line by line as it scanned from top to bottom, those in the room gasped one by one as they each began to recognize what their lord saw. Slowly, as the maximum resolution was achieved, a girl, who happened to be standing outside as the image was taken, is depicted. From the top of her head is long, perfectly black, hair, dark eyes that seem as deep as a well, dressed in a pink and burgundy dress made of the finest fabrics.

"Sir, there's insufficient data for confirmation from the facial recognition-"

"I've finally found you," Lord Tsukuyomi isn't listening, "Kaguya-hime."

And the last

After Cirno's final moments, Reimu and Yakumo worked feverishly to replenish the Gensokyo Boundary. Since the Hakurei Border was still some-what active, the rest of the work wasn't too terribly difficult. Had the gap youkai _and_ the Hakurei Miko both been defeated at the same time, repair would have been impossible. Maybe this was known by Cirno, and this was the reason the miko was practically ignored. Whatever the case, Yukari Yakumo and Reimu Hakurei reconstructed the boundary, sealing Gensokyo as the young priestess' ancestor had done over a century ago.

In the hours that followed many youkai recovered. The loss of magic that, by itself, threatened many lives was again filling the land. It was a long road, but after this night passes and the morning comes, the worst of it should be over.

Many life threatening injuries were inflicted. Some by Cirno directly and the rest indirectly. The absolute worst of the worst were Meiling and Sakuya. The youkai suffered numerous broken bones, internal bleeding, and some things Eirin had never seen before. This martial artist was of the most rare breeds of youkai, and procedure had to be invented on the spot to save her life.

Even with a simpler physiology, the human didn't fare any better. Being at risk of hypothermia and all the blood loss, she nearly died before Remilia could even bring her to Eirin. As she was the only human within Scarlet Devil Mansion, finding a matching blood type for the transfusion intentionally seemed a daunting task, however the vampire had stockpiled plenty that matched the human's. The doctor didn't want to ask. Surgery lasted for several hours, well into the morning. It wasn't until Remilia nearly collapsed from exhaustion that Eirin announced that the worst was over. However, she might never completely recover. She's fallen into a coma and shows no signs of awakening. Only time will tell.

Many types of injuries were sustained, some worst than others, but Cirno hadn't caused a single fatality. With as powerful as she proved to be, it almost seemed like a miracle. Nearly would have they called it that, but they all knew better. Everyone who fought against the ancient world slayer all felt the same way; that through all her battles, all the trials she put before her adversaries, no matter how she acted or what she said, she never had the intent to kill. They weren't all lucky to be alive, they were alive because Cirno wished it. She never tried to kill anyone (though she did have an odd fixation on Okuu).

Having discovered her true nature only after the fact, it left those who fought with mixed feelings. They couldn't hate her in the end. Maybe they couldn't understand her actions or intentions, but they recognized the heart she possessed. It was almost a love she had for all of them, that her actions weren't motivated by hate, sorrow, or rage, but a kindness and warmth from a mother scolding her child. Some recognized it for what is was, but many were left wondering. Perhaps the best proof to this is that she never really killed Remilia or Flandre. Once they saw the two vampires revived, nearly all the hate directed at the ancient simply vanished. At least this was true for all the fairies in the mansion. Maybe in time this could be relayed to the rest of Gensokyo.

All of this made the last part particularly hard. They had to tell Daiyousei that her best friend was dead.

For days the fairy seemed completely lifeless. Remilia, for some reason, felt it was her responsibility to care for her. Keeping her at the Scarlet Devil Mansion, they saw that she was fed, bathed, and slept. If not for the care of the other fairy maids, Daiyousei might have faded away and disappeared. It was as if they owed it to Cirno, perhaps more to the Ice Fairy than the Ancient, to keep her friend alive. Not simply just breathing, but able to move on in her life. It was Remilia's idea, but it was certainly well-received; Remilia suggested that they hold a funeral for Cirno. Daiyousei broke into tears when she heard, but at least she finally showed emotions again. This was what she needed to say goodbye.

It was a somewhat dreary morning. Overcast skies, a chill in the air, and a humidity that made it feel slightly swampy. Everyone was dressed in black. Those in attendance included most of those who fought her in the final battle. Absent were Yukari, Yuuka, and the comatose Sakuya, but the rest were there and with a few additions. The three mischievous fairies came with the Prismriver Sisters, and the Suwa Gods with the reunited Sanae. Meiling was healthy enough to come in crutches. It was probably best that she remain in bed, but the marital artists insisted on attending. Meiling felt as if she owed something to Cirno, Ice Fairy or otherwise.

The Scarlet Devil Courtyard showcased an empty grave and a headstone carved by the oni. Simply did it say "Cirno." There was no picture that could be associated with the grave, but everybody had an image of the beloved fairy etched in the hearts. To service began early in the morning.

Given by Remilia, the eulogy was actually very sweet. Perhaps knowing far more then she should, the vampire highlighted Cirno's innocence, friendly and warm personality, and even her endearing stupidity and misadventures. Also were excellent things said by Marisa, and when Meiling hobbled to the podium in her crutches and said her final prayers. Many broke into tears. Certainly Daiyousei had much to say, but she was in much too fragile a state to say anything, yet everyone awaited for the moment when she would say her final goodbye to her friend.

However, before she got the chance, someone else took that stage.

No one ever saw her enter. She walks through the aisle with a determined stride, challenging attitude, and bright eyes. No one's ever seen her before, but she's impossibly familiar. This girl is of average height (maybe about as tall as Sakuya), slender build, and appears late teens or early 20s in years. Mid-length hair flows down her back, wavy and wild, and it sways gently as she walks. That color, matching with her eyes and dress, is almost impossible to associate with any other person. People stand from their seats as she passes, and Marisa falls out of her's. This woman's mere presence garners great attention, and once Daiyousei finally takes notice, she instantly sheds tears.

The woman takes her place behind to podium as if this place was reserved solely for her. Placing her hands on the rectangular wooden stand as if it were customary, she begins by clearing her throat.

"Ahem! We are gathered here to pay tribute to a great friend. He," the woman pauses for a second, turns around, reads the tombstone, then turns back to the audience, "Chro-no was a great friend. I remember the days when we ran through the fields, played pranks on the frogs, and generally hassled anyone we could find. At times he did bad things, but he had a good heart and never meant any harm. Chrono would sometimes-"

"Cirno!" Daiyousei shouts as she rises from her seat.

Over twice as tall as the Ice Fairy, about 20 centimeters shorter than the tall Ancient, the woman with an unmistakable resemblance to those two halts mid speech. Being cut off by the fairy, the woman isn't quite sure how to proceed.

"Um, Chrono would sometimes-"

"Cirno!" Daiyousei shouts again, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"What Dai-chan? I'm kinda in the middle of something here."

Hesitant and wavering, the green-haired great-fairy gradually makes her way to the podium, "Cirno, is that really you?"

The woman appears uneasy, "Um, yeah. Who else would it be?"

At the admission, Daiyousei charges and tackles the woman, shouting, "Cirno! Cirno!"

Marisa starts laughing hysterically, Reimu throws her arms out in the air as if in surrender, and a few simply stand up and start to leave. The rest are either in disbelief or are joining the human magician in merrymaking. While laughing, Suika takes a giant swig of sake.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Cirno calls out to the crowd. "I was just getting to the best part! Dai-chan, get off me!"

TO BE CONTINUED

IN

ADVENT OF THE STRONGEST

* * *

_Well, there you have it. I couldn't think of any better way for LotS to end then for Cirno to attend her own funeral. Better yet that she misreads her own name and mistakes it for the name of a boy. When I started planning for LotS, I kept imagining the funeral scene from _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,_ and tried to add a bit of Touhou flare. After all, no matter how cruel or desperate the situation could be, shouldn't all Touhou stories end with a tea party (which Cirno's Funeral will eventually end up as). After every incident it's just another day in Gensokyo._

_Now let me say a bit about the first half of the Epilogue. Hati's ultimate goal in LotS was to discover a path to the moon. Based off the same Hati as in Norse Mythology, you can understand why that would be. As a Touhou combatant his power level is only about as strong as a Stage 4 boss (Patchouli, Reisen, Sanae, ect...) but his greater skills lie in subterfuge. Since invading the moon is near-impossible and otherwise suicidal, he has to bring the moon to him, or have the moon invade Earth. Through Eirin he learns that both she and Kaguya-hime are in exile and in hiding. Using Ancient Cirno as a means, he draws out the incident so that the Gensokyo boundary can be destroyed and he can send a message to the moon. While the Lunarians are far more capable than he anticipated, they still receive his message and Lord Tsukuyomi takes great interest in what has transpired. Ultimately his plan was a complete success. And that whole "Remilia Scarlet must die," prophecy was just a load of crap. He just wanted to cause a stir that would shake all of Gensokyo to ensure that Reimu or Yukari would get involved. Flandre also getting involved was completely out of his expectations._

_Which leads us to the next installment, _Advent of the Strongest_. Part 2 will have this Awakened Cirno take center stage. She will have to cope with the sins carried out by her original alter-ego and the events that are about to transpire. I nearly wanted to start this multi-part series with Advent, but felt it would be too much of a leap if I did Legend as a sort of prequel, so this series will take place in chronological order. _

_How far do I plan to go with _The Strongest_ series? Even I don't know yet. As long as it's fun, I guess, and I'm having a lot of fun. I hope you've had even a fraction of the fun reading this as I've had writing it. See you next installment._

_~Kyle Castorena_


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